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BV  1475  .W27  1855 
Waterbury,  J.  B.  1799-1876. 
The  child  of  the  covenant^ 
or,  How  Christian  parents 


X 


THE 


CHILD  OF  THE  COVENANT: 


OK 


HOW    CHRISTIAN    PARENTS 


SHOULD 


TRAIN    UP    THEIR    HOUSEHOLDS 


BY  REV.  J.  B.^WATERBURT,  D.  D. 


BOSTON: 

T.   E.   MAKVIN    AND    S.K.   WHIPPLE    &    CO. 

NEW     YORK  : — M  .     AV  .     D  O  D  D  . 

1855. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1855,  by 

T.   R.    MARVIN, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetss. 


CON  T  EnW""' ^^^«^^ 


CHAPTER    I. 

CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE. 

In  what  sense,  children  are  God's — God's  claim  to  them  recognized  in  the 
Old  Testament — also  in  the  New — the  consecration  enjoined,  meets  a 
natural  wish  of  the  parental  pious  heart — the  parental  relation  divinely 
constituted — instinctive  love  common  to  the  animal  creation — its  use — 
the  higher  principle  in  man — parental  responsibility — relates  to  the 
physical  wants  first — soon  to  the  moral  wants — duties  which  grow  out  of 
the  parental  relation — physical  education — its  connection  Avith  mental 
<lcve]opment — intellectual  training — developed  at  first  under  the  parentiil 
eye — parents  and  teachers — their  mutual  responsibility — incentives  to 
watchfulness. 

CHAPTER    II. 

IN  WHAT    PRINCIPLES    SHOULD   CHILDREN   BE    EDUCATED  ? 

Principle  and  practice — theories  of  the  moral  state — infant  depravity — the 
papistical  theory,  including  baptismal  regeneration — another  theory,  viz., 
that  which  makes  depravity  to  depend  on  circumstances — still  another 
theory — these  theories  of  depravity  examined  and  refuted. 

CHAPTER    III. 

CHILDREN       BORN       IN       SIN. 

The  scriptural  theory  of  depravity — a  first  principle,  that  we  are  born  in 
sin — depravity  to  be  referred  to  the  soul,  not  the  animal  natui-e — sin  the 
natural  «tate,  and  holiness  the  gracious  state — some  sanctified  in  infancy 


t  CONTENTS. 

— declaration  in  regard  to  infant  salvation,  and  on  ■what  grounds — all 
children  indicate  depravity  in  some  form — when  are  children  proper 
subjects  of  prayer  ? — the  relation  of  infant  baptism  to  original  sin — ob- 
jection to  infant  baptism  founded  on  the  "cui  bono"  principle — this 
objection  considered — repudiation  of  infant  baptism  on  the  ground,  that 
it  is  mystical  or  superstitious — another  objection  considered,  viz.,  that  it 
leads  to  neglect  other  means  of  grace — the  practical  eflfect  of  our  theory — 
leading  to  earnest  prayer  for  the  child's  regeneration — the  idea  repelled, 
that  our  views  lead  us  to  expect  the  child  Avill  grow  up  in  sin — baptismal 
obligations  an  auxiliary  influence  in  the  discharge  of  parental  duty. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

DUTY    OF    PARENTS    TO    THEIR    UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN. 

Children  generally  indicate  a  sinful  rather  than  a  gracious  state — manifest 
at  a  very  early  age — parental  influence,  when  should  it  begin — first, 
restraint  of  the  passions — the  responsible  season  for  moral  culture — chil- 
dren taught  their  relation  to  God — tlie  idea  of  God,  and  its  influence — 
conscience,  Avhen  operative — moral  ideas,  how  inculcated — the  object 
which  a  Christian  parent  shovild  keep  in  view — natural  aptitude  in  the 
young  mind  to  receive  religious  impressions — the  being  of  God  a  great 
lever  in  the  hand  of  the  parent — how  far  natural  religion  aids  us — the 
Bible,  the  great  thesaurus  of  instruction — proper  views  of  the  divine 
character  to  be  inculcated. 


CHAPTER    V. 

THE    RELATION    OF    CHILDREN    TO    GOD    AS    SINNERS. 

Selfishness  the  great  antagonistical  principle  to  truth  and  virtue — the  child 
to  be  apprised  of  its  naturally  evil  heart — how  it  may  be  impressed  with 
the  nature  and  turpitude  of  sin — by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin — its 
use  in  con\incing  the  child  of  his  delinquencies — this  course  has  been 
excepted  to — the  objections  considered — our  ideas  of  youthful  depravity 
stated — the  effect  of  our  inculcations  on  the  child — conviction  necessary 
to  conversion — to  the  appreciation  of  redemption  by  Christ — children 
placed  under  the  tutelage  of  the  law — what  is  the  duty  of  Orthodox 
Christians  on  this  point — can  children  understand  the  doctrines  ? — the 
great  end  of  all  these  inculcations,  viz.,  their  conversion  to  God. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

A  sense  of  sin  prepares  for  this — the  family  a  type  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment— obedience  to  parents  one  form  of  obedience  to  God — these  duties 
interlaced — Fourierism — the  family  state  affords  the  occasion  for  illus- 
trating the  duties  we  owe  to  God — a  child's  first  idea  of  sin  and  retribu- 
tion here  obtained — scriptural  idea  of  forgiveness — the  mediatorial  idea 
developed  in  the  family — the  great  doctrine  of  the  atonement  shadowed 
forth — Christ  and  his  offices  pointed  out — Christ's  example  in  regard  to 
selfishness — Christ,  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness — easy  to  be 
inculcated — childhood  the  season  of  confidence — convictions  of  childhood 
— under  what  circumstances  developed — how  to  be  treated — the  new 
field  of  culture — the  power  of  parental  example — parental  counsels — a 
higher  type  of  piety  needed  as  the  millennium  draws  near. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE     ABRAHAMIC     C0VE:\A>'T. 

Abraham's  position  as  he  stood  related  to  succeeding  believers — commend- 
atory notices  of  the  patriarch — his  faithfulness  in  the  religious  training 
of  his  children  and  household — faithful,  anterior  to  the  covenant — the 
latter  both  strengthening  and  encouraging  him — in  like  manner,  is  the 
operation  of  the  covenant  7}otv — divine  wisdom  and  goodness  to  be  recog- 
nized in  the  covenant — external  ser\"ices  imply  the  Aveakness  of  our 
nature,  and  are  helpful — the  external  formality  not  religion,  only  an  aid 
to  it — error  of  the  papists — Quakers  on  the  other  extreme — stipulations 
of  the  Abrahamic  covenant — perfecting  of  this  covenant — whom  it  em- 
braced— the  seal  of  the  covenant — its  recognition  in  baptism — no  new 
edict  required  in  regard  to  children's  membership  of  the  church — no 
abridgment  of  their  privileges  under  the  new  dispensation — reasoning 
of  the  Apostles  on  this  point — the  covenant  had  in  view  mainly  spiritual 
privileges — bearings  of  the  covenant  on  the  increase  of  the  church — sad 
and  criminal  neglect  of  Christian  parents — exhor\  ation  to  the  discharge 
of  duties  connected  with  this  covenant. 


6  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

INFANT    BAPTISM    AS     RELATED    TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC 
COVENANT. 

Object  of  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians— an  incidental  argument 
thence  for  infant  baptism — baptism  (infant)  not  abrogated  with  the 
ceremonial  law — reasoning  of  Paul  to  this  effect — circumcision,  its  his- 
tory and  original  import — Abraham,  under  a  gospel  dispensation  pros- 
pectively— his  faith,  and  the  sign  or  seal  of  it,  viz.,  the  seal  of  circum- 
cision— a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith — the  visible  church  in  the 
patriarch's  family — the  seal  or  sign  continued  under  the  Levitical 
economy  no  nullification  of  its  continuance  or  import — the  seal  being 
changed  or  modified  as  to  what  is  external,  to  be  applied  as  in  the  family 
of  Abraham — not  restricted  to  adults — reference  to  household  baptism — 
additional  arguments  for  infant  baptism — identity  of  the  church  in  all 
ages — illustrated  in  the  vineyard  and  in  the  olive  tree — no  command  for 
restricting  it  to  adults — household  baptism — condition  of  the  primitive 
church — principles  and  practice  of  the  Apostles — "  believe  and  be  bap- 
tized " — Lydia's  baptism — the  jailer's — Stephanus's — the  import  of  the 
word  oikos  considered — children  included  in  the  idea — this  illustrated — 
another  argument — the  unbelieving  wife,  &c. — children  of  such  mar- 
riages, how  related  to  the  covenant — Dr.  Doddridge's  opinion. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

RELATION    OF    BAPTIZED    CHILDREN    TO    THE    CHURCH. 

In  what  sense  baptism  makes  children  members  of  the  church — Abraham's 
family  a  proper  type — relation  of  children  to  the  church  under  the 
Mosaic  economy — under  the  Christian  economy — put  on  the  ground  of 
the  domestic  "  ecclesia" — St.  Paul's  example  as  to  the  treatment  of 
households,  such  as  that  of  Lydia  and  the  jailer — children  members 
of  the  church  general  rather  than  of  any  church  in  particular — the 
responsibility  of  training  and  discipline  on  the  parent — the  church  has 
a  duty — its  nature  and  extent — watch  and  care,  sympathy  and  instruc- 
tion, rather  than  discipline — these  views  fortified  by  the  late  eminent 
Dr.  Dwight — quotations  fjom  Dr.  Dwight — the  baptized  child's  right  to 
the  Lord's  supper  considered — the  discipline  of  refractory  cliildren,  to 
whom  is  it  referred — the  church  possesses  an  indirect  control  through 
the  parent — the  duties  of  the  church  stated. 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER    X. 

PRACTICAL    QUESTIONS. 

Practical  question — liow  young-  shall  a  child  be  admitted  to  membership  in 
the  church? — the  bearings  of  this  question  upon  the  child,  and  upon  the 
church — inference  from  the  preceding-  reasoning — very  young  children 
sometimes  admitted — peculiar  cases  justifying  it — better  in  general  to 
wait  for  more  age  and  experience — possibility  of  deception  in  regard  to  a 
spiritual  change — difference  in  intelligence  and  moral  training — a  church 
to  be  guided  by  circumstances — safe  rule  not  to  admit  too  young — from 
twelve  and  upwards  a  reasonable  limit. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM — A    QUESTION    IN    CONNECTION 
WITH    IT. 

A  question  in  connection  with  household  baptism — to  what  number,  and  at 
what  age  shall  baptism  be  administered,  on  the  faith  of  the  professing 
head  ? — case  of  the  jailer  at  Philippi  considered — the  example  not  defi- 
nite— yet  sufficient  to  warrant  the  baptism  of  children  under  age — cus- 
tom of  the  Hebrews  in  regard  to  proselytes — remarks  of  Calmet — the 
rule  should  embrace  all  from  twelve  or  thirteen  years  and  under — no 
coercion — re-baptism  —  the  question  considered  —  should  be  discounte- 
nanced— and  on  what  grounds — especially  its  tendency  to  self-righteous- 
ness— objections  to  the  principles  and  practices  of  the  Baptists,  princi- 
pally on  these  grounds — spirit  of  the  Apostle  Paul  in  relation  to  this 
subject. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

PRACTICAL  DUTIES. 

Questions  as  to  parental  indulgence — amusements — they  must  be  innocent 
— differing  views — a  rule  in  regard  to  amusements — how  to  be  inter- 
preted— children  and  parents  alike  professors  under  the  baptismal  cove- 
nant— consequent  obligations — books — literature  of  the  present  day — its 
tendency  in  many  cases  bad — parents  must  watch  on  this  point — what 
kind  of  books  to  be  admitted,  and  what  to  be  excluded — the  Sabbath — its 
obligation — how  to  be  kept — worship — the  duty  of  parents  in  regard  to 
where  his  child  shall  worship — responsibility  of  parents — close. 


^i.  Uk  Jk 


THE  CHILD  OF  THE  COVENAIST.. 


CHAPTER  I. 

CHILDREN  GOD'S  HERITAGE". 

In  what  sense,  Children  are  God's — God's  claim  to  them  recognized  in  the 
Old  Testament — also  in  the  New — the  consecration  enjoined,  meets  a 
natural  wish  of  the  parental  pious  heart — the  parental  relation  divinely 
constituted. — Instinctive  love  common  to  the  animal  creation — its  use — 
the  higher  principle  in  man — parental  responsibility — relates  to  the 
physical  wants  first — soon  to  the  moral  wants — duties  which  grow  out  of 
the  parental  relation — physical  education — its  connection  Avith  mental 
development — intellectual  training — developed  at  first  under  the  parental 
eye — parents  and  teachers — their  mutual  responsibility — incentives  to 
watchfulness. 

All  parents  are  in  duty  bound  to  recognize- 
in  their  offspring  the  gift  of  God.  They  are 
under  no  less  obhgation  to  lay  this  gift  upon  his 
altar  ;  believing  that  in  either,  or  in  both  senses, 
children  may  not  improperly  be  called,  "  The  her- 
itage of  the  Lord."  In  the  sense  of  a  trust  com- 
mitted,  of  a  blessing  loaned,  they  are  theirs  ;  but 
they  are  God's  by  right  of  creation,  and  should 
be  so  acknowledged  by  virtue  of  a  formal  conse- 
cration. 

3 


10  CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE. 

Under  the  Old  Testament,  express  provision 
was  made  for  this  recognition  of  God's  claim  ;  and 
every  male  child,  shortly  after  its  birth,  was,  with 
due  solemnity,  declared  to  be  a  part  of  God's 
spiritual  heritage.  Having  reached  a  certain  age, 
it  was  taken  to  the  temple  ;  and  with  the  usual 
sacrifices,  again  surrendered  up  to  the  service  of 
God.  In  the  estimation  of  the  ancient  church, 
this  right  or  privilege  of  infant  consecration  was 
regarded  as  among  their  greatest  blessings. 

It  requires  no  very  deep  study  into  the  human 
heart — especially  of  the  pious  parental  heart — to 
discover  how  consonant  with  the  yearnings  of 
nature  was  this  provision  of  the  Almighty.  To 
ime,  it  seems  natural,  I  had  almost  said  indispen- 
sable, that  the  unconscious  immortal  intrusted  to 
my  guardianship,  should  be  recognized  by  some 
formal  religious  act  as  the  rightful  property  of  its 
Creator.  Hence,  under  the  Christian,  as  under 
the  Jewish  dispensation,  these  obligations,  which 
the  voice  of  nature  suggests,  are  implied,  if  not 
explicitly  enjoined.  It  would  have  been,  in  my 
opinion,  a  serious  objection  to  Christianity,  and 
one  which  the  Jews  would  very  readily  have 
urged,  had  its  great  Author  repudiated  this  rela- 
tion of  our  offspring  to  the  church.  But  such  was 
not  the  case.    What  he  said  in  relation  to  children, 


CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE.         11 

if  it  means  anytliing,  makes  for  our  doctrine ;  and 
confirms,  under  a  milder  form,  what  was  so  highly- 
esteemed  and  so  universally  practiced  under  the 
more  painful  one.  It  pleased  him  to  say,  as  a 
rebuke  to  his  disciples  repelling  certain  parents 
who  sought  to  lay  their  children  in  his  arms  that 
he  might  bless  them,  "  Suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

TITE    PARENTAL    RELATION. 

What  I  intend  however  to  consider,  at  this  time, 
is  the  parental  re/afio?i,  and  some  of  the  duties 
which  grow  out  of  it. 

As  thus  stated,  the  subject  must  be  interesting 
to  all ;  though  its  presentation  has  reference  more 
particularly  to  those  who  sustain  the  twofold  rela- 
tion of  parents  and  of  Christians.  The  parental  is 
a  relation  constituted  by  God  himself,  and  though 
designed  for  good,  may  be  made  the  occasion  of 
good  or  of  evil,  according  as  the  responsibilities 
are  faithfully  met,  or  wantonly  disregarded.  At 
no  previous  time,  perhaps,  has  the  subject  of  pa- 
rental duty — ^having  reference  especially  to  the 
rehgious  education  of  children — assumed  a  more 
interesting  aspect,  or  required  a  more  careful  con- 


13  CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE. 

sideration.  This  arises  from  tlie  fact,  that  in  our 
day  a  less  rigid  system  of  treatment  and  discipline 
is  practiced  than  the  one  which  regulated  the  in- 
tercoiu'se  of  parents  and  children  in  a  former  age. 
It  is,  so  to  speak,  less  severe ;  admitting  more 
familiarity,  and  aiming  at  an  earlier  development. 

There  have  been  introduced  also  certain  princi- 
ples of  religious  culture,  which  profess  to  be  an 
improvement  on  those  which  we  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  consider  scriptural  and  right.  The  old- 
fashioned  notions  of  training  up  Chiistian  house- 
holds have  been  questioned  as  to  their  propriety, 
if  not  ridiculed  for  their  absurdity.  The  subject 
is,  therefore,  clothed  with  more  than  ordinary 
interest ;  and  no  person  sustaining  the  parental 
relation — ^liaving  the  sacred  trust  of  souls  commit- 
ted to  their  culture — can  fail  to  appreciate  its 
importance. 

When  a  child  is  born,  this  relation  commences. 
It  is  an  eventful  era  in  the  history  of  the  individual 
parent.  The  heart  is  moved  by  strange  emotions ; 
and  the  interest  which  has  spread  itself  over  a 
thousand  objects,  is,  for  a  season  at  least,  concen- 
trated upon  one.  By  a  provision  the  most  merci- 
ful, the  God  of  providence  has  secm^ed,  in  the 
deep  instincts  of  our  nature,  the  vigilance  and 
care  so  necessary  for  the  support  and  comfort  of 


CHILDREN    god's   HERITAGE.  13 

the  little  helpless  and  dependent  being.  "  Can  a 
woman  forget  her  sucking  child  ?"  The  question 
implies  almost  an  impossibility,  which  instinctive 
love  has  reared  against  the  abandonment  or  neg- 
lect of  her  offspring.  But  other  feehngs  soon 
supervene ;  and  where  instinctive  affection  is 
inadequate,  the  reason  and  moral  faculties  are 
influential. 

The  lower  orders  of  the  animal  creation  are 
supplied,  for  wise  purposes,  with  the  same  instinc- 
tive love  of  their  young  as  human  beings.  There 
is  but  one  exception, — recorded  in  Scripture  and 
confirmed  by  observation, — that  of  the  ostrich, 
who,  in  the  fine  poetical  language  of  Job,  "  leav- 
eth  her  eggs  in  the  earth,  and  warmeth  them  in 
the  dust ;  and  forgetteth  that  the  foot  may  crush 
them,  or  that  the  wild  beast  may  break  them. 
She  is  hardened  against  her  young,  as  though 
they  were  not  hers." 

But  this  instinctive  love  is  limited,  in  the  case 
of  inferior  animals,  to  the  mere  physical  wants 
of  their  young,  and  seems  to  expend  itself  at  the 
earliest  point  of  self-dependence.  Scarcely  has 
the  parent  bird  cast  her  brood  out  of  their  nest 
ere  she  abandons  them.  She  gives  her  newly 
fiedged  offspring  one  or  two  lessons  on  the  wing, 
and  then  she  leaves  them  to  their  destiny.     She 


14         CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE. 

never  more  recognizes  them  as  her  children,  nor 
do  they  recognize  her  as  their  parent.  The  power 
of  instinct  has  subserved  the  purposes  of  Provi- 
dence, and  henceforth  is  wholly  inoperative. 

But  this  is  far  from  being  the  case  in  respect 
to  human  beings.  At  that  very  period,  where  the 
lower  animals  abandon  their  young,  begins  to 
operate  that  high  moral  care  which,  having  instinc- 
tive love  as  its  base,  rises  and  reaches  to  the  very 
termination  of  the  child's  earthly  existence.  It  is 
this  moral  feature  which  mainly  distinguishes  us 
from  the  lower  grade  of  animated  existence, — a 
distinction  which  stamps  the  one  as  merely  mor- 
tal, and  the  other  as  immortal  and  accountable. 
The  higher  relations  are  here  recognized;  those 
which  link  us  to  a  future  and  endless  existence. 
Regarding  our  offspring  as  related  to  both  worlds, 
the  present  and  the  future,  we  are  anxious  to 
prepare  them  for  both  ;  to  fit  them  for  their  brief 
sojourn  on  earth,  but  especially  for  their  high, 
and,  as  we  hope,  glorious  destiny  m  eternity. 

PARENTAL    RESPONSIBILITY. 

This  feehng  of  parental  responsibility  meets  us 
in  the  early  stages  of  our  children's  being.  At 
first,   we   are   mainly   anxious    to    administer  the 


CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE.  15 

nurture,  and  afford  the  care  wliich  shall  sustain 
and  strengthen  the  languid  functions  of  life.  It 
seems  as  if  the  spark  which  has  just  been  lighted, 
would  expii'e,  if  a  rude  breath  should  fall  upon 
it.  And  oft-times  it  does.  Hence  the  anxiety 
and  vigilance  are  with  reference,  in  the  first 
instance,  principally  to  its  physical  wants. 

But  soon  another  care  succeeds.  The  eye  has 
brightened  into  intelligence.  It  looks  abroad,  and 
seems  to  inquii-e  into  the  cncumstances  of  its 
being.  It  tln'ows  back  the  responsive  glance  of 
affection.  Its  eye  flashes  with  anger,  or  moistens 
with  the  tear  of  disappointment.  The  passions 
begin  to  be  developed.  There  is  a  will-  and  a 
won't,  that  are  seen  in  the  pantomimic  exhibitions 
of  its  limbs  and  features,  ere  it  can  embody  them 
in  words.  Rapid  is  the  progress  now  in  emotions 
and  principles.  Its  moral  education  has  begun ; 
and  the  parental  relation,  at  this  point,  is  felt  to 
be  one  of  solemnity  and  responsibility.  There  is 
no  getting  away  from  a  position  which  the  God  of 
nature  has  assigned,  nor  any  possibility  of  casting 
upon  others  obligations  which  He,  by  the  very 
nature  of  the  case,  upon  ourselves.  The  inter- 
vention of  nurses  and  teachei's  may  be  necessary, 
but  their  conduct  towards  our  children  is,  in  a 
sense,  our  own ;  for  we  are  responsible  for  their 


16         CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE. 

influence,  inasmuch,  as  we  employ  them  for  a 
specific  and  well  understood  purpose.  If  a  vigi- 
lant supervision  be  not  had  of  those,  to  whom  we 
may  feel  ourselves  compelled  to  commit  the  nur- 
ture of  the  body,  and  the  mind,  and  the  soul,  of 
our  offspring,  the  result  may  be  lamented  when  it 
cannot  be  repaired.  No  being  in  the  universe 
can  come  between  us  and  our  parental  responsi- 
bilities. 

These  begin  to  operate  with  force,  we  say,  at  a 
very  early  period.  I  shall  not  define,  as  I  am  not 
able  to  define,  the  precise  point  of  time.  It  may 
be  somewhat  earlier  in  one,  and  later  in  another. 
The  observing  parent  is  the  best  judge  as  to  when 
the  moral  principles  begin  to  develop,  and  when, 
accordingly,  the  moral  discipline  should  be  ap- 
plied. Stationed  by  the  Almighty  at  the  fountain 
head  of  existence,  he  is  to  observe  when  and  in 
what  direction  the  stream  begins  to  flow.  He  is 
to  notice  whether  it  is  clear  or  turbid  ;  whether  it 
is  acrid  or  sweet.  He  is,  however,  to  be  more 
than  a  passive  spectator  of  this  development. 
Instinct  unites  with  duty,  in  claiming  his  untiring 
energies  in  strengthening  what  is  good,  and  coun- 
teracting what  is  evil.  The  period  of  direct 
parental  influence  is  short,  since  the  mould  of 
character  is  quickly  taken. 


CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE.  17 


DUTIES    WHICH    GROW    OUT    OF    THE    PARENTAL 
RELATION. 

We  will  now  take  a  brief  view  of  some  of  tlie 
specific  duties,  which,  grow  out  of  the  parental 
relation.  They  may  be  arranged  under  three 
heads,  corresponding  with  the  physical,  intellect- 
ual, and  religious  necessities  of  our  children. 

Physical  Training. 

The  physical  education  of  children  belongs 
more  properly  to  the  medical  than  to  the  theologi- 
cal instructor.  I  should,  therefore,  waive  any 
remarks  on  the  subject,  did  I  not  feel  that  there 
was  a  connection,  even  though  it  may  be  a  some- 
what remote  one,  between  the  healthy  and  well 
adjusted  powers  of  the  body,  and  the  improve- 
ment of  the  mind  and  heart. 

The  parent  who  has  a  just  regard  to  his  re- 
sponsibilities, will  feel  bound  to  use  every  effort 
in  his  power,  to  lay  a  foundation  for  the  future 
happiness  and  usefulness  of  his  children.  These 
ends  he  can  scarcely  hope  to  secure,  if  their 
physical  development  and  vigor  be  not  carefully 
attended  to.     A  sickly  frame  may  be^  sometimes 


18  CHILDKEX    god's    HERITAGE. 

is,  the  sad  inheritance  of  youth.  The  bud  that 
shoots  towards  perfection  Avill  sometunes,  from 
inscrutable  causes,  never  expand  into  a  flower,  and 
the  blossoms  that  bespangle  the  tree,  are  no  cer- 
tain index  of  the  quantity  of  fruit  that  is  to  suc- 
ceed. So  in  the  higher  field  of  youthful  promise 
and  culture,  we  are  saddened  by  some  secret 
canker,  which  seems  silently  to  be  gnawing  at  the 
root;  indicating  its  ravages,  in  the  languid  eye, 
the  livid  cheek,  and  the  emaciated  form. 

Inherited  diseases  are  as  difficult  of  explanation 
as  is  inherited  depravity.  In  both  we  are  con- 
fined to  ultimate  facts,  and  in  neither  should  we 
question  the  justice  of  God.  But  let  not  the 
sad  result  of  premature  weakness  be  traceable  to 
parental  delinquency.  The  cliild  should  not  have 
it  m  his  power  to  say,  'If  you  had  given  me 
more  scope  in  the  athletic  exercises  wdiich  I 
needed ;  or  had  been  less  careful  to  preserve  my 
delicacy  of  complexion,  or  my  gracefulness  of 
form,  by  in-door  confinement,  or  artificial  re- 
straints ;  instead  of  this  premature  weakness,  I 
might  have  fulfilled  your  hopes  and  reahzed  my 
own.' 

Does  the  parent  wish  to  see  his  child  reveling, 
if  I  may  use  a  rather  equivocal  term,  in  all  the 
luxury  of  health  ;  happy  from  mere  physical  per- 


CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE.  19 

fectlon ;  ready  to  commune  witli  all  the  sweet 
influences  of  nature  ;  with  elasticity  in  the  step, 
fire  in  the  eye,  and  serenity  on  the  brow ;  then 
let  that  parent  leave  no  expedient  untried  in  order 
to  bring:  about  so  desirable  a  result.  But  on  this 
head  I  will  not  enlarge. 

There  is  a  connection,  however,  between  the 
health  of  the  body  and  the  mind's  culture ;  at 
least  I  see  not  how  the  latter  can  be  attained,  or, 
if  attained,  can  be  made  available,  to  any  great 
extent,  without  the  former.  The  intellect  may 
indeed  be  cultivated  at  the  expense  of  corporeal 
vigor ;  but  how  much  less  efficient  for  good  will 
the  individual  be,  than  if  he  possessed  a  sound 
mind  in  a  sound  body !  The  pressure  of  ambi- 
tion is  sometimes  fatal  to  the  health  of  the  youth- 
ful aspirant.  At  a  time  when  his  body  needs 
room  to  expand,  it  is  nailed  to  the  study-bench, 
and  the  delicate  brain  is  overtasked  at  a  time  when 
the  muscles  should  be  developed.  Thus  have 
disease  and  death  stood  ready  to  snatch  the  laurel 
from  the  young  brow,  and  bind  around  it  instead 
the  fillets  of  the  grave. 

There  is  a  connection,  also,  between  physical 
health  and  the  moral  faculties,  wdiich  might  be 
traced  out  did  circumstances  permit ;  but  as  I 
wish  to  reach,  as  soon  as  possible,  my  main  object. 


so         CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE. 

viz.,  the  religious  culture  of  oiu'  cliildren,  I  must 
dismiss  it  with  a  single  remark  or  two. 

I  will  say  this, — no  young  person  can  bring  to 
God  a  too  perfect  offering.  He  cannot  make  tliis 
consecration  as  available  in  sickness  as  he  can  in 
health.  He  cannot  serve  God  as  efficiently.  He 
cannot  see  as  clearly,  nor  carry  out  as  vigorously, 
the  great  moral  principles  which  should  sway  him, 
in  a  debilitated  as  he  can  in  a  healthy  frame. 
That  perfection  of  mind  and  body,  regarded  as  so 
necessary  in  less  responsible  pui'suits,  is  surely  as 
needful,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  highest  which 
mortals  can  pursue.  The  influence  of  the  parent 
then,  in  promoting  the  health  of  his  offspring, 
may  reach  and  affect  the  operations  of  the  intellect 
and  the  culture  of  the  moral  faculties  ;  and  this 
is  my  apology,  if  any  were  needed,  for  pointing 
out  a  duty  connected  with  the  parental  relation, 
too  seldom  contemplated  and  too  carelessly  ob- 
served. 

Intellectual  Training. 

In  respect  to  intellectual  training,  we  are  met 
mth  a  difficulty,  which  must  naturally  occur  to 
every  one  reflecting  on  the  subject,  namely,  how 
few  parents  have  the  ability,  even  if  they  had  the 


CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE.  21 

time,  to  guide  the  opening  faculties  of  their  off- 
spring !  This  must  be  confided,  ahnost  of  neces- 
sity, to  others.  The  child,  at  a  very  early  period, 
must  be  committed  to  the  elementary  teacher.  He 
must  be  passed  along  through  several  grades  of 
instructors,  until  his  education  is  pronounced  com- 
plete. Few  parents  have  much  to  do — or  wish  to 
have — in  forming  the  intellectual  habits  of  their 
children.  From  necessity,  or  from  choice,  they 
prefer  to  have  their  children's  minds  under  the 
training  of  others.  But  on  this  branch  of  my  sub- 
ject I  am  compelled,  from  moral  considerations,  to 
be  brief.  I  am  not  here  to  devolve  on  every 
parent  the  intellectual  training  of  his  children.  I 
would  not,  if  I  could,  take  them  out  of  the  instruc- 
tor's hands.  It  would  be  preposterous  to  think  of 
such  a  course.  All  I  intend,  by  the  responsibility 
in  question,  relates  principally  to  a  very  early 
period  of  life. 

The  mind,  no  less  than  the  temper  and  the  dis- 
position, is  developed  under  the  parental  eye.  The 
early  intellectual  bias  is  very  much  under  the  con- 
trol of  intelligent  parental  influence.  The  mental 
peculiarities  of  the  child  should  be  studied.  No 
two  are  precisely  alike  ;  and  in  a  large  family,  the 
diversity,  even  under  a  uniform  economy,  is  often 
very  striking.     Adaptation  then  should  mark  as 


22        CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE. 

miicli  the  mental  guidance,  as  it  should  the  moral 
discipline.  Our  children  are  tliinking  beings. 
Thought  in  them  is  forcible,  because  fresh.  ^lind 
develops  with  startling  rapidity.  The  foundation 
is  soon  laid ;  and  the  superstructure  cannot  be 
massive  and  grand,  if  the  basis  on  which  we  pro- 
pose to  raise  it  be  essentially  defective.  You  all 
wish  your  children  to  act  well  their  part  in  life. 
You  know  not  what  stations  they  may  be  called  to 
fill ;  or  what  destiny,  even  in  this  world,  awaits 
them.  All  this  is  with  God.  But  a  most  impor- 
tant duty,  next  to  their  salvation,  is  to  see  that  they 
are  prepared  to  meet  and  discharge  the  reponsibil- 
ities  of  life.  If  they  have  mind,  it  is  our  business 
to  discern  it ;  and  if  possessed  of  the  means,  to  give 
it  free  scope.  In  this  country,  education  is  better 
than  wealth,  and  modest  self-reliance  a  thousand- 
fold better  patrimony  than  paternal  acres.  The 
very  happiness  of  our  children  is  connected  with 
their  personally  developed  energies.  "  I  leave 
you,"  said  a  man  of  wealth  to  one  of  his  heirs, 
"  this  great  property,  in  the  hope  that  you  may 
have  as  much  pleasure  in  spending,  as  I  have  had 
in  accumulating  it."  Vain  hope  !  How  could 
the  prodigal  ever  realize  it !  No  ;  it  is  in  tasking 
the  energies  ;  in  encountering  and  overcoming  diffi- 
culties ;  in  the  stimulus  of  necessity  and  of  hope  ;  in 


CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE.  23 

the  outlay  of  mind  and  muscle — it  is  in  these,  that 
the  character  is  formed,  and  the  zest  of  life  en- 
joyed. But  these  the  luxurious  heir  could  never 
know.  How  much  better,  then,  regarding  even 
the  present  happiness  of  our  children,  is  a  well- 
trained  mind,  and  a  good  moral  character,  than  all 
the  pride  and  luxury  of  wealth  ? 

Religious  Training. 

The  training  of  the  intellect,  according  to  its 
grade  and  character,  though  important,  is  not  a 
work  of  so  great  responsibility  as  that  religious 
culture,  necessary  to  fit  the  soul  for  the  future  as 
well  as  for  the  present  world.  It  is  this  depart- 
ment of  duty  which  I  shall  hope  to  explain  and 
to  illustrate,  trusting  that  the  God  of  Abraham 
will  give  us  grace  to  "  command  our  children,  and 
our  households  after  us,  to  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord ;  to  do  justice  and  judgment."  Though 
addressing  myself  chiefly  to  those  who  have  made 
a  profession  of  religion  ;  I  would  be  understood 
as  addressing  all  who  sustain  the  parental  relation ; 
who  have  children  to  train,  and  household  duties 
to  perform.  The  duty  of  a  Christian  parent  is 
the  duty  of  all  parents.  By  a  connection  with 
the  visible   church,   obligation  may  be  enhanced. 


24  CHILDREN    god's    HERITAGE. 

but  cannot  be  created.  If  it  is  my  duty  to  offer 
up  my  child  to  God,  on  the  ground  that  the  child 
is  God's,  and  that  I  am  to  recognize  his  property 
in  it,  is  it  less  the  duty  of  another  parent  to  do 
this  ?  But  it  is  replied,  "  I  am  not  a  professor 
myself ;  I  have  never  given  myself  to  God  ;  and 
why  should  I  present  the  inconsistency  of  doing 
that  for  my  child  which  I  have  not  done  for 
myself?"  It  is  true,  that  you  could  not  in  faith 
and  sincerity  consecrate  your  child,  whilst  you  are 
unwilling  to  give  youi'self  unto  God.  But  the 
duty  you  owe  your  child,  involves  the  duty  which 
you  owe  your  own  soul.  There  is  no  impediment 
to  your  giving  up  your  child,  if  you  will  first 
give  yourself  to  God.  It  is,  in  my  opinion,  your 
duty  to  do  both.  But  in  the  order  of  time  and 
of  consistency,  the  self-consecration  should  come 
first.  Then  will  you  be  prepared  to  say,  in  the 
language  of  faith,  "  Here  Lord  am  I,  and  the 
children  which  thou  hast  given  me." 

I  close  by  repeating  what  I  said  at  the  begin- 
ning, that  never  was  there  a  time  when  religious 
education  and  household  consecration  were  more 
important,  or  their  neglect  more  disastrous.  The 
prosperity  of  Zion  depends  upon  them.  The 
conservative  principles  of  the  social  and  civil 
organization  cannot  be  maintained  without  them. 


CHILDREN  god's  HERITAGE.         25 

No  other  so  effectual  barrier  can  we  rear  up 
against  vice  and  error.  But  above  all,  the  happi- 
ness of  our  children,  in  this  life  and  that  which 
is  to  come,  is  involved  in  them.  If  we  neglect 
these  duties,  our  repentance  may  come  too  late ;  it 
may  be  protracted  as  long  as  their  misery. 

INCENTIVES    TO    W^ATCHFULNESS. 

Look  abroad  on  the  city  of  our  habitation ! 
See  the  lures  which  are  held  out,  and  the  pit-falls 
which  are  dug  along  the  path  which  our  children's 
feet  must  tread  !  See  how  many  a  gateway  to 
hell  is  thrown  open  before  them,  whilst  its  por- 
tals are  wreathed  with  flowers  to  conceal  the  dark 
descent  and  the  dreadful  interior.  Places,  which 
w^ere  once  the  resort  of  instruction  and  recreation, 
are  now  primary  schools  of  death,  in  which  a  love 
for  the  di'ama  is  inculcated,  and  those  tastes  are 
fostered,  which  in  after  life  will  demand  indul- 
gence on  a  larger  scale.  I  need  only  allude  to 
other  and  still  grosser  temptations.  The  city  is 
full  of  them.  Unavoidably  our  children  breathe  a 
somewhat  pestilential  air,  and  walk  amid  smoul- 
dering fires.  Can  they  walk,  unliurt,  without  the 
guardian  angel,  religion  1  Must  not  the  fear  of 
God  follow  them,  where  the  parental  eye  cannot 
3 


26  CHILDREN,  god's    HERITAGE. 

go  ?  Will  you  trust  tliem  to  a  self-sustained 
vii'tue,  amid  temptations  so  powerful  ?  Oh  no ; 
when  you  have  done  all  that  a  parent  can  do, 
by  example  and  by  precept,  call  around  them  a 
spiritual  defence  which,  like  the  chariots  of  fire 
around  the  Prophet,  shall  be  the  unseen  but 
effectual  body-guard  of  their  vhtue. 


CHAPTER  II. 

IN    WH.A.T   PRINCIPLES    SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE 
EDUCATED  ? 

Principle  and  practice — theories  of  the  moral  state — infant  depravity — the 
papistical  theorj-,  including  baptismal  regeneration — another  theorj',  viz., 
that  which  makes  depravity  to  depend  on  circumstances — still  another 
theory — these  theories  of  depravity  examined  and  refuted. 

*'  The  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord/' 
is  that  moral  and  religious  training  which  the  Lord 
approves.  Admonition  embraces  more  especially 
the  means  used  in  such  training,  viz.,  those 
instructions,  exhortations  and  counsels  which  the 
word  of  God  furnishes  ;  and  which  are  to  be 
constantly  and  faithfully  applied  in  a  rehgious 
education. 

PRINCIPLE    AND    PRACTICE. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  way  or  method  which 
God  approves,  in  the  training  of  our  offspring, 
we   are  to  consider  both  principle  and  practice. 


28  IN    WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

The  former  respects  the  theory  (doctrinal)  which 
we  adopt ;  and  the  latter,  the  natural  results  of 
that  theory  in  instruction  and  discipline.  If  oui* 
theory  of  rehgious  belief  be  wrong,  our  practice 
will  very  naturally  and  necessarily  be  so  too.  It  is 
of  immense  importance,  therefore,  that  we  should 
entertain  right  views  of  God's  truth ;  that  we 
should  understand  also  what  the  nature  of  the  soil 
is,  which  we  propose  to  cultivate,  and  how  it  may 
be  made  to  produce  the  fruit  which  God  demands, 
and  which  the  Christian  pai'ent  so  earnestly  de- 
su'es. 

THEORIES    OF    THE    MORAL    STATE. 

The  most  common  theory  of  the  moral  state  or 
condition  of  the  child  is,  that  it  has  a  depraved 
nature  ;  that,  as  a  component  part  of  the  race,  it  is 
born  in  sin,  and  partakes  in  some  manner,  myste- 
rious to  us,  of  the  impurity  and  vicious  propensities 
consequent  upon  the  fall.  In  common  language, 
its  nature  is  said  to  be  sinful.  This  idea  is  recog- 
nized by  those  who  practice  infant  baptism.  The 
baptismal  rite  being  symboHcal,  shadows  forth  the 
guilt  of  original  sin ;  the  necessity  of  being  washed 
in  the  waters  of  regeneration ;  and  intimates  the 
hope  or  belief  that  such  an  inward  cleansing  may 
be  experienced. 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE   EDUCATED.  29 

The  papist  actually  affirms  that,  iii  this  symbol- 
ical transaction,  spiritual  regeneration  takes  place. 
So  also  do  some  others,  who,  though  not  papists  in 
name,  are  so  by  affinity,  and  also  in  the  adoption 
of  this  and  some  other  papistical  tenets.  But 
Protestants  generally,  rather  hope  and  pray  for 
such  a  spiritual  change  in  baptism,  than  believe 
that  it  invariably  takes  place.  They  however  by 
this  rite  do  recognize  the  original  moral  corruption 
of  their  children,  and  their  need  of  the  renewing 
and  cleansing  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Starting  from  the  same  point,  it  is  seen  that 
Chi'istians  may  diverge  into  opposite  paths.  Unit- 
ing in  the  behef  of  infant  depravity,  they  may 
disagree  in  the  method  of  removing  or  counteract- 
ing it ;  some  holding  that  baptism  is  effectual  to 
that  end ;  and  others  holding  that  baptism  is  only 
a  recognition  of  the  need  of  salvation  wliich  higher 
influences  must  combine  to  effect. 

It  is  easy  to  see  that  these  contrary  views  will 
modify  veiy  greatly  the  coui'se  of  instruction, 
according  as  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  theories 
in  regard  to  baptism  is  adopted.  In  the  one  case, 
the  child  will  be  considered  by  baptism  a  Chris- 
tian ;  a  member  of  the  invisible  as  well  as  the 
visible  church.  He  will  be  addressed  as  a  Chris- 
tian ;  and,  so  soon  as  he  comes  to  a  proper  age,  he 


30  IN    WHAT   PRINCIPLES 

will  be  encouraged  to  participate  in  the  remaining 
ordinances  of  tlie  church.  No  new  phases  of 
religious  experience  will  be  looked  for.  If,  as  he 
grows  up,  he  casts  off  religious  restraints,  and 
indulges  in  the  vices  and  follies  of  the  wicked,  it 
will  be  regarded  as  an  instance  of  backsliding  from 
a  state  of  grace,  to  which  repentance  may  recover 
him.  But  still  it  will  be  insisted,  that  his  Chris- 
tian character  was  formed  in  baptism.  His  regen- 
eration having  then  taken  place,  no  new  or  radical 
change  is  thereafter  to  be  expected. 

The  point  of  importance  in  this  theory  is,  can  it 
be  true  ?  Does  baptism,  by  an  authorized  priest- 
hood, always  confer  the  qualification  for  heaven  ? 
The  answer  we  are  willing  to  refer  to  the  common 
sense  of  mankind. 

But  where  this  theory  exists ;  where  it  is  behoved 
and  acted  upon,  the  following  effects  will  naturally 
ensue.  The  child  being  considered  in  a  state  of 
safety — prepared  by  baptism  for  heaven — will  not 
be  the  subject  of  anxiety  in  this  respect.  The  pa- 
rent will  not  of  coui'se  pray  for  its  salvation.  Such 
a  prayer  would,  on  the  supposition,  be  superfluous. 
The  mind  is  set  at  rest  on  this  point.  Nor  will 
the  parent  be  likely  to  treat  the  child,  as  it  comes 
to  a  state  of  intelligent  action,  as  he  would,  if  he 
held  other  notions  of  the  efficacy  of  baptism.     Its 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE    EDrCATED.  31 

training  will  respect  other  attainments,  than  those 
which  relate  to  the  spuitual  world.  These  latter 
he  will  say,  are  within  the  appropriate  sphere  of 
the  priesthood.  Its  spiritual  welfare  being  thus 
amply  secured,  according  to  the  prescribed  rites  of 
the  chui'ch,  what  has  the  parent  meanwhile  to  do, 
but  to  shape  its  destiny  for  this  world.  His  great 
care  will  therefore  naturally  be,  its  introduction 
mto  society — ^its  success  in  business — and  its  repu- 
tation among  men. 


ANOTHER   THEORY. 

There  is  another  theory  of  so  called  Christian 
education,  which  diSers  from  this  (the  papistical) 
in  some  things,  but  agrees  with  it  in  others.  It 
makes  the  child's  depravity  to  depend  on  circum- 
stances. It  assumes  that  the  soul  of  the  child  is 
as  much  propense  to  good  as  to  evil ;  that  if  we 
cannot  attribute  innate  holy  tendencies,  neither  can 
we  assert  an  original  sinful  bias  ;  and  that  educa- 
tion may,  under  favorable  circumstances,  develop 
an  acceptable  piety.  Some  boldly  assume  this 
ground,  and  others  lean  very  strongly  towards  it. 
Depravity  is  referred  not  to  the  nature  of  the 
soul ;  but  rather  to  the  contaminating  casement  in 
which  it  seems  to  be  unfortunately  lodged.     The 


S2  IX    WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

passions  springing  in  advance  out  of  the  animal 
organization,  take  captive  tlie  soul,  in  its  first 
essays  at  moral  action ;  so  that  in  every  instance, 
the  soul  becomes  depraved.  The  blameworthiness 
begins,  when  the  soul  yields  to  such  an  assault  on 
the  part  of  the  animal  propensities.  Were  it  only 
to  make  a  successful  resistance,  it  is  thought  holi- 
ness, instead  of  sin,  would  be  developed.  But 
such  a  successful  resistance,  it  seems,  has  never  yet 
been  made  ;  and  so  depravity,  as  a  practical  thing, 
is  admitted  to  be  universal. 

It  would  seem,  in  this  case,  that  the  human 
nature  is  like  a  house  divided  against  itself  The 
soul  is  well  enough  ;  and  by  natui*e  pure  enough  ; 
but  there  is  sometliing  wrong  in  the  body.  Mat- 
ter is  endowed  with  something  selfish  and  spiteful, 
and  makes  war  upon  the  soul,  the  very  moment 
the  soul  attains  to  accountability ;  and  so  every 
child  of  Adam,  like  Adam  himself,  has  here  on 
earth  a  probation  and  a  fall.  The  animal  is  in 
every  instance  the  victor. 

This  idea  of  depravity  seems  to  have  been 
propomided,  with  a  view  of  reheving  the  character 
of  God.  It  is  thought  that,  according  to  the 
usually  received  doctrine.  He  might  be  liable  to 
the  charge  of  creating  a  depraved  soul.  To  this 
I  do   not  agree  ;  believing  that  God  is  no  more 


t 


SHOULD  CHILDREN  BE  EDUCATED.      33 

liable  to  such  an  imputation  on  the  ground  of 
natural  than  of  circumstantial  depravity  ;  and  that 
man  is  not  called  upon  to  help  him  out  of  any- 
such  seeming  embarrassment. 

This  system,  I  have  said,  harmonizes  in  some 
respects  with  that  which  makes  an  act  of  the 
priesthood  a  means  of  regenerating  the  child.  The 
point  of  contact  in  the  two  theories  is  this.  They 
both  get  rid  of  depravity  in  infancy  ;  the  one  by 
an  official  act  of  a  church  officer,  and  the  other  by 
denying  original  sin.  We  have  seen  what  the 
practical  effect  of  the  first  named  theory  is,  on  the 
training  of  the  child.  Let  us  see  what  the  effect 
of  the  other  would  naturally  be. 

You  beheve,  for  instance,  that  every  child's  soul 
is  pure  ;  or  at  least  that  it  is  not  sinful.  Now  the 
first  effect  of  this  belief,  I  should  think,  would  be, 
to  make  you  neglect  its  baptism ;  which  is  a  rec- 
ognition of  its  native  depravity,  and  its  consequent 
need  of  the  cleansing  blood  of  Christ.  Surely  if 
the  soul  is  not  sinful,  it  needs  no  washing  until  it 
is.  Why  should  the  blood  of  Christ  be  accounted 
necessary  where  there  is  no  sin.  Hence,  as  ap- 
pears to  me,  the  practical  effect  will  be,  not  as  in 
the  case  before  supposed,  (the  papistical,)  to  make 
baptism  all  important,  but  to  make  it  of  no  impor- 
tance— a  superfluous  and  unmeaning  rite. 


34  IN   WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

The  man  who  believes  that  the  regeneration  and 
salvation  of  his  child,  depends  on  its  baptism  by  a 
priest,  would  be  guilty  of  soul  murder,  if  he  should 
neglect  to  have  it  baptized.  But  in  the  case  sup- 
posed, there  is  no  need  of  regeneration  by  water, 
or  by  anything  else  ;  for,  according  to  the  theory, 
the  child's  soul  is  now  free  from  sin. 

Another  effect  of  such  a  behef  (the  natural  pu- 
rity of  the  child)  will  be  to  exonerate  the  parents 
from  the  duty  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  cliild's 
salvation.  The  parent  may  consistently  pray  that 
God  would  prolong  its  hfe.  Consistently  did  I 
say  ?  No ;  if  it  is  not  a  sinner,  and  its  living  a 
few  years  longer  will  be  sure  to  make  it  such,  why 
should  not  disinterested  love  rather  pray  for  its  de- 
parture ?  The  parent  may  pray  for  its  "victory 
over  temptation ;  for  its  security  against  that  mo- 
ment when  the  animal  propensities  shall  make  war 
upon  its  native  purity.  He  may  pray  also  for  its 
earthly  prosperity  ;  but  how  he  can  pray  that  God 
would  regenerate  or  new-create  the  soul,  I  cannot 
see. 

Another  effect  of  this  theory  would  be,  as  I  ap- 
prehend, to  set  the  parent  to  work  in  a  course  of 
ascetic  discipline.  He  must  attack  the  animal  pro- 
pensities, which,  according  to  the  supposition,  are 
the  main  cause  of  its  depravity.     He  must  give 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE   EDUCATED.  35 

the  child  to  understand  that  self-mortification  is 
the  road  to  holiness.  The  child  must  be  told  that 
his  soul  is  in  danger  of  perdition,  not  from  its 
native  or  inherent  depravity,  but  from  the  influ- 
ence of  the  animal  passions  and  propensities  ;  and 
that  eternal  life  is  a  result  of  the  successful  resist- 
ance of  the  animal  nature. 

Now  though  such  mortification  of  the  flesh  is 
all-important  as  a  part  of  Christian  discipline,  and 
may  be  pursued  on  entirely  different  prmciples 
from  those  just  referred  to,  still,  where  such  asceti- 
cism is  put  in  place  of  the  Spirit's  work,  and  of 
purifying  grace,  it  is  easy  to  see  to  what  a  fatal 
result  it  may  lead.  You  cannot  contemplate  this 
theory  without  perceiving  how,  from  beginning  to 
end,  it  is  at  variance  with  the  true  gospel  doc- 
trine. 

STILL   ANOTHER   THEORY. 

There  has  been  broached  still  another  theory  of 
Christian  nuitui-e,  which  neither  denies  our  natural 
depravity,  nor  subscribes  to  baptismal  regeneration, 
but  which  insists,  that  a  Chiistian  parent  may,  by 
his  faith  and  by  his  example,  form  the  soul  of  his 
child  to  a  Christian  pattern. 

This   system   of  Christian  nurture  goes  on  the 


36  IN    WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

assumption  tliat  a  seminal  or  propagative  piety  is 
to  be  expected ;  God  having  ordained  that  a  moral 
likeness  shall  grow  between  parent  and  child,  just 
as  he  has  ordained  that  a  vegetable  likeness  shall 
grow  between  a  plant  and  its  offshoots.  It  seems 
to  suppose  that,  as  in  physical  conformation  and 
features  and  expression,  so  also  in  virtue  and  piety, 
there  is  to  be  expected  a  correspondence  between 
the  Christian  parent  and  his  offspring.  This  is  a 
nice  point,  which  needs  to  be  carefully  examined 
before  it  is  received  or  practically  adopted.  Such 
a  theory  has  been  broached  and  denominated 
Christian.  It  has  been  maintained  by  arguments 
drawn  professedly  from  the  Bible,  as  well  as  from 
reason. 

"Without  rejecting  this  system  in  all  its  parts, 
we  shall  attempt  to  discriminate  between  what  we 
consider  erroneous  in  it,  and  what  it  appears  to 
contain  of  truth.  There  are  some  featui'es  of  this 
scheme  which  seem  to  find  countenance  in  the 
word  of  God.  The  covenant  made  with  Abra- 
ham, having  reference  to  believers  to  the  end  of 
time,  and  including  "  the  promise  which  is  to  us 
and  to  our  children,"  seems  to  lend  some  plausi- 
bility to  it.  Then  again,  if  Christian  parents,  by 
their  covenant  relation,  and  a  faithful  training 
under  that  covenant,   may  form  their  child  to  hoH- 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE    EDUCATED.  37 

ness,  it  lays  tlie  ground  for  a  most  solemn  appeal 
to  their  conscience,  which  of  itself  would,  in  the 
estimation  of  many,  commend  the  theory  to  accept- 
ance. But,  as  a  distinguished  civilian  once  said, 
"  Nothing  is  beautiful  that  is  not  true."  Our  great 
aim  should  be,  truth.  All  our  instructions,  espe- 
cially those  which  are  to  mould  the  soul's  future 
destiny,  should  be  founded  in  God's  truth.  It  is 
perilous  to  fall  into  a  mistake  on  a  subject  of  such 
weight  and  importance. 

How  much  then,  of  truth,  is  there  in  this 
theory?  What  and  how  great  is  the  error?  I 
answer.  It  is  true  there  is  a  connection  instituted 
by  God  betAveen  the  faithful  training  and  holy 
example  of  Christian  parents,  and  the  conversion 
and  salvation  of  their  children.  Would  God  bid 
us  acknowledge  them  as  his  heritage  ;  would  he 
call  them  ceremonially  clean,  (see  1  Cor.  vii.  14 ;) 
tell  us  that  "  the  promise  is  to  us  and  to  om'  chil- 
dren ;  "  and  all  without  any  meaning  ?  Certainly 
he  would  not.  Would  Paul  commend  Timothy's 
piety,  on  the  ground  that  the  same  piety  dwelt  in 
his  ancestry — his  mother  and  his  grandmother — 
if  there  was  no  promise  or  pledge  of  spiritual 
good  to  faithful  efforts  in  the  religious  education 
of  our  offsprmg  ?  Figuratively  speaking,  you 
may  call  this  a  seminal  piety.     But  it  will  not  do 


38  IN    WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

to  say  tliat  tlie  'parent  forms  the  cliild  to  holiness, 
except  as  the  appropriate  instrument  or  agent, 
under  God,  and  whom  God  may  appropriately 
employ  for  this  end. 

The  child  of  Christian  parents  is,  by  nature,  no 
wise  different  from  the  child  of  any  other  person. 
^'It  is  born  in  sin,  and  shapen  in  iniquity."  As 
Dr.  Henry  quaintly  remarks,  "  Grace  does  not  run 
in  the  blood,  but  corruption  does  :  a  sinner  begets 
a  sinner ;  but  a  saint  does  not  beget  a  saint." 
Hence  the  analogy  fails,  of  seminal  Hkeness.  It 
is  not  as  where  the  seed  produces  its  like  in  the 
vegetable  world.  The  pious  parent  represents  the 
good  tree  whose  fruit  (morally)  is  good.  But 
their  children  are  not  born  any  more  holy  or  pro- 
pense  to  holiness  than  the  children  of  others. 
"  They  are  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even 
as  others."  In  respect  to  character  and  responsi- 
bihty,  we  do  maintain  an  individualism  in  the 
children.  If  in  features  and  disposition  they 
resemble  the  parent,  as  we  know  they  often  do, 
so  do  they  resemble  them  in  their  sinful  nature. 
This  they  always  do.  It  was  the  case  with  Seth, 
at  whose  bhth  it  was  said,  "  And  Adam  begat  a 
son  in  his  own  likeness."  The  seminal  likeness 
respects  nature,  not  grace. 

What  advantage  then,  it  may  be  asked,  have 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE   EDUCATED.  39 

the  children  of  pious  parents  over  others  ?  "  Much, 
every  way."  Not,  however,  in  being  born  with  a 
better  nature,  but  in  being  born  under  better 
auspices;  circumstances  more  favorable  to  their 
salvation.  The  parent's  relation  to  God,  and  to 
the  Christian  church,  brings  around  the  child  a 
combination  of  appropriate  means,  which  are  not 
unfrequently  blessed  to  its  conversion  and  salva- 
tion. Though  born  with  a  sinful  nature,  there  is 
a  relation  which  it  sustains,  a  covenant  relation — 
a  term  which  we  are  authorized  to  use,  and  which- 
we  love  to  use — which  lays  a  ground  of  hope,  that 
the  faith  which  dwells  in  the  parent,  will  also,  by^ 
the  grace  of  God,  be  vouchsafed  to  the  child. 

It  is  on  this  ground  that  the  parent  brings  it  to 
God's  altar,  and  puts  upon  it  the  name  of  the 
triune  Jehovah,  and  assumes  the  obligation  of 
training  it  up  "  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord." 

The  unconscious  immortal,  in  advance  of  its- 
opening  reason,  thus  becomes  the  object  of  spirit- 
ual interest,  solicitude  and  prayer.  No  sooner- 
does  it  give  signs  of  intelligence  and  moral  sus- 
ceptibihty,  than  a  course  of  training  commences, 
having  reference  to  its  enlightenment  and  salva- 
tion.    Its  earUest  thoughts  are  turned  heavenward. 


40  IN   WHAT    PRINCIPLES 

Its  first  lisping  lessons  are  from  the  oracles  of 
God.     This  is  surely  something  in  its  favor. 

But  we  do  not  agree,  according  to  the  theory  in 
question,  that  the  child,  even  under  such  favorable 
influences,  will  always  develop  a  pious  character, 
with  the  same  certainty  as  the  seed  "will  produce 
the  flower  which  is  wrapped  up  in  it.  Nor  do 
we  agree  that,  in  its  immature  state,  the  child  has 
no  character  but  that  which  it  derives  from  pai'en- 
tal  influence.  We  hold  that  there  is  a  moral  state 
of  the  soul  hrespective  of  that  uifluence,  and 
anterior  to  it ;  a  natural  depravity  which  parental 
influence  cannot  eradicate.  This  is  the  work  of 
God's  Spirit.  It  may  take  place  before  parental 
influence  can  be  felt,  or  it  may  never  take  place. 
Parental  influence  may  be  sanctified  to  its  removal, 
or  it  may  remain  in  despite  of  such  influence. 
Facts  bear  us  out  in  these  assertions.  There  is 
hope  ;  there  is  promise  ;  and  this  is  all  we  can 
say.  Hope  and  promise  are  stimulus  enough. 
They  are  enough  for  adults  in  respect  to  theh  sal- 
vation ;  they  are  enough  in  laboring  for  the  salva- 
tion of  our  children. 

The  theoiy  in  question  seems  in  fact,  though 
not  in  words,  to  deny  the  depravity  of  our  nature. 
If  the  child  takes  its  moral  character  fi'om  that  of 
the  parent ;  if  the  seminal  principle  of  piety  must 


SHOULD    CHILDREN    BE    EDUCATED.  41 

be  supposed  to  exist  from  its  birth,  where  is  the 
proof  that  it  is  born  in  sin  ?  If  the  parent  is  to 
expect  a  development  of  piety,  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple that  he  expects  the  flower  to  develop  from 
the  seed ;  and  if  parental  influence  is  but  the 
educing  or  culture  of  such  piety,  even  though  we 
admit  the  consentaneous  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
as  we  admit  the  need  of  rain  and  sun-shine,  will 
it  not  seem  as  if  depravity  were  not  born  with  us  ? 
What  becomes  of  the  doctrine  of  original  sin  on 
this  theory  ?  What  becomes  of  the  necessity  of 
regeneration  founded  on  it  ? 

Such,  it  seems  to  me,  are  some  of  the  errors 
growing  out  of  this  organic  theory  of  moral  char- 
acter, and  of  that  Christian  nurture,  which  is 
modified  and  moulded  by  it. 

What  then  is  the  true  theory?  What  is  the 
Bible  method  of  Christian  education  ?  In  what 
way  is  it  to  be  prosecuted ;  and  what  results  may 
be  expected  ?  It  cannot  be  on  the  ground  that  an 
act  of  the  priesthood  will  confer  regeneration ;  nor 
on  the  ground  that  our  children  are  born  free 
from  sin ;  nor,  again,  on  the  assumption  that  piety 
is  propagated  from  parent  to  child ;  all  these 
theories  are  in  conflict  with  facts  and  with  the 
word  of  God.  Let  us  not  then  build  upon  them, 
nor  shape  the  child's  destiny  according  to  them. 
4 


4:2  IN    WHAT    PRINCIPLES,    &C. 

The  subject  is  one  of  vast  moment.  Every  parent 
and  every  child  is  deeply  concerned  to  know  what 
is  the  true  scriptural  mode  of  training  the  soul 
for  happiness  and  for  heaven.  We  cannot  reach 
a  safe  and  satisfactory  conclusion,  except  by  a 
rigid  adherence  to  God's  word.  The  Bible  is  our 
only  guide.  Let  us,  then,  in  this  respect,  as  in 
every  other,  make  it  the  man  of  our  counsel ; 
remembering  that  the  msest  of  men  has  pro- 
pounded and  answered  the  question,  ^Where- 
withal shall  a  young  heart  cleanse  its  way  ?  By 
taking  heed  thereto  according  to  thy  word.' 


CHAPTER  in. 

CHILDREN   BORN   IN  SIN. 

The  scriptural  theory  of  depravity — a  first  principle,  that  we  are  born  in 
sin — depravity  to  be  referred  to  the  soul,  not  the  animal  nature — sin  the 
natural  state,  and  holiness  the  gracious  state — some  sanctified  in  infancy 
— declaration  in  regard  to  infant  salvation,  and  on  what  grounds — all 
children  indicate  depravity  in  some  form — when  are  children  proper 
subjects  of  prayer? — the  relation  of  infant  baptism  to  orig-inal  sin — ob- 
jection to  infant  baptism  founded  on  the  "  cui  bono "  principle — this 
objection  considered — repudiation  of  infant  baptism  on  the  ground,  that 
it  is  mystical  or  superstitious — another  objection  considered,  viz.,  that  it 
leads  to  neglect  other  means  of  grace — the  practical  efiect  of  our  theory — 
leading  to  earnest  prayer  for  the  child's  regeneration — the  idea  repelled, 
that  our  views  lead  us  to  expect  the  child  will  grow  up  in  sin — baptismal 
obUgations  an  auxiliary  influence  in  the  discharge  of  parental  duty. 

In  stating  our  objections  to  the  theories  ani- 
madverted upon,  we  may  have  incidentally  devel- 
oped some  of  the  features,  at  least,  of  what  we 
consider  the  true  theory. 

We  begin,  however,  by  saying,  that  a  first 
principle  is,  that  our  children,  like  ourselves,  are 
born  in  sin  ;  that  this  depravity  does  not  reside  in 
the  animal  propensities,  but  in  the  soul  itself  AVe 
have  no  conceptions  of  sin  which  are  not  referable 
to  the  moral  part  of  our  natui'e. 


44  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

Another  principle  is,  that  sin  is  the  natural 
state,  and  holiness  the  gracious  state.  If,  there- 
fore, a  child  develop  a  holy  disposition,  we  are  to 
infer  a  change  of  heart  in  infancy,  by  the  grace 
of  God.  Such  appears  to  have  been  the  case  with 
Samuel  in  the  Old,  and  with  John  the  Baptist  in 
the  New  Testament.  IMany  others,  thousands 
perhaps,  are  also  born  again,  soon  after  they 
experience  the  first  or  natural  birth.  Myriads, 
we  hope,  of  this  description,  having  died  in 
infancy,  are  now  in  heaven,  and  myriads  more 
may  follow  in  the  train. 

Parents  discover,  at  a  very  eai'ly  age,  a  natural 
repellancy  to  the  truth,  in  the  hearts  even  of  their 
most  amiable  children.  There  is  an  indifference, 
at  least,  often  a  positive  and  manifested  dishke. 
It  is  in  vain  to  say,  as  some  have  said,  that  this  is 
owing  to  the  manner  in  which  the  truth  is  pre- 
sented to  its  young  mind.  Present  it  when  you 
will,  with  whatever  tenderness,  and  in  the  most 
unexceptionable  mamier,  you  will  still  find  an 
indifference,  if  not  an  opposition,  in  the  selfish 
heart  of  sin.  All  the  fine-spun  theories  of  relig- 
ious education  which  have  been  woven,  will  never 
reconcile  the  natural  heart  to  the  self-denying 
truths  of  the  gospel.  You  may  give  that  heait 
something  which  is  not  the  gospel,  but  which  may 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  45 

go  under  that  name,  and  win  its  approbation.  But 
the  carnal  mind  exists  in  even  the  child  ;  and  that 
"carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God."  Sad  as  this 
truth  is,  it  must  be  admitted  as  a  first  principle  in 
any  system  of  Christian  nurture,  which  professes 
to  be  founded  on  the  Bible. 

Another  principle  is,  that  where  in  infancy  such 
a  change  of  heart  takes  place,  it  will  be  the  de- 
lightful task  of  Christian  nurture  to  develop  it. 
It  will  come  out  as  naturally  under  pious  tutelage, 
as  the  bud  opens  in  beauty  beneath  the  sunbeam. 
But  where  this  change  of  heart,  from  a  smful  to 
a  holy  state,  is  not  wrought  by  God's  Spirit,  no 
nurture,  of  itself,  can  produce  it.  The  soil  must 
be  prepared  for  the  seed ;  and  who  but  God  can 
give  this  preparation  ? 

ARE    INFANTS    SAVED? 

It  will  not  be  inappropriate,  just  here,  to  meet 
a  question  which  the  subject  may  have  suggested 
to  some  minds,  viz.,  whether  all  who  die  in 
infancy  are  taken  to  heaven ;  and,  if  so,  on  what 
grounds  ?  The  papist  will  answer  the  question 
of  infant  salvation  as  follows  : — "Without  baptism 
within  the  papal  church,  he  will  say,  they  cannot 
be  saved.     Consistency  obliges  him  to  take  this 


46  CHILDREN    BORX    IN    SIN. 

ground.  They  wlio  embrace  the  theory  of  native 
purity, — that  is,  that  the  soul  of  an  infant  is 
mthout  sm, — beheve  ui  infant  salvation  of  coui'se. 
Theii'  idea  is,  that  the  soul  goes  to  heaven  on  the 
ground  of  its  own  native  purity.  It  needs  no  re- 
generation, even  by  baptism.  But  do  we,  who  be- 
lieve in  the  native  depravity  or  sinfulness  of  man, 
believe  also  in  infant  salvation?  I  answer,  for 
one,  that  /  do.  Not  that  God  has  told  me,  in  so 
many  words,  that  they  are  saved,  but,  inferen- 
tially,  it  seems  to  me  that  they  are.  I  do  not 
place  their  salvation,  however,  on  the  same 
grounds  as  the  papist ;  beheving  that  baptism, 
even  by  the  pope  hmiself,  has  no  power  either  to 
regenerate  or  to  sanctify  the  soul.  Nor  do  I  take 
the  ground  that  the  soul  of  the  infant  is  pure,  and 
therefore  fit  for  heaven  without  regeneration.  But 
I  assume,  that  they  who  die  in  infancy,  are  in- 
cluded in  the  plan  of  redemption  ;  and  that  God, 
havmg  purposed  to  take  them  out  of  the  world 
ere  they  reach  the  period  of  accountabihty,  pur- 
posed also  to  prepai'e  them  for  the  change.  He 
can  wash  the  infant  soul  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb  ;  and  that  blood-bought,  blood-washed  soul, 
may  see  and  recognize,  Avith  all  the  rest  of  the 
redeemed,  that  its  salvation  was  of  grace ;  and 
instead  of  complacently  dwelling  on  its  own  native 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  47 

purity^  as  it  natui'ally  would,  if  it  entered  heaven 
on  that  ground,  it  is  prepared  to  join  in  the  song, 
"Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings 
and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father ;  to  him  be 
glory  and  dommion  for  ever  and  ever  !  " 

We  have  got  to  begin  by  making  the  tree 
good,  if  we  expect  to  see  the  fruit  good.  This 
radical  renovation  is  not,  however,  a  matter  of 
education.  It  is  the  act  and  the  work  of  God's 
Holy  Spirit.  Our  first  care,  then,  should  be  to 
see  that  the  ground  is  prepared.  We  are  thus- 
thrown,  at  once,  and  at  first,  in  sunple  dependence 
on  the  power  and  grace  of  God.  In  Clnistian 
education  let  us  begin  with  this  concession,  that 
the  heart  of  the  child  must  be  prepared,  as  the 
soil  is  prepared,  to  receive  the  good  seed  which 
we  propose  to  implant.  This  points  out  the  duty 
of  prayer  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  our 
children. 

WHEN    ARE    CHILDREN    PROPER    SUBJECTS    OF 
PRAYER  ? 

A  Christian  parent,  on  our  principles,  should 
begin  to  pray  for  his  child  so  soon  as  it  has  an  ex- 
istence.    Ere  reason  dawns,  or  conscious  purposes 


48  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

can  be  formed  ;  or,  peradventure,  even  the  will 
is  not  exercised, — when  there  is  simple  exist- 
ence— a  soul  in  its  earliest  buddings — ^we  are, 
on  the  old  scriptural  ground  of  native  depravity, 
to  pray  that  God's  Spirit  would  regenerate  its  soul. 
But  how  is  this  ?  Do  we  believe  that  regenera- 
tion can  take  place  when  the  soul  is  passive ; 
when  there  can  be  no  intelligent  co-operation  of 
the  will  ?  To  this  we  reply,  by  asking,  on  the 
other  hand,  if  such  souls  need  no  change  of  heart 
to  fit  them  for  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  To  assert 
it,  is  to  deny  native  depravity ;  to  deny  Christ's 
repeated  declaration,  "  Ye  must  be  born  again," — 
a  necessity  based  on  the  natural  depravity  of  man. 
If  children  are  depraved,  they  are,  in  the  earliest 
stages  of  their  being,  subjected  to  the  same  neces- 
sity of  regeneration,  as  if  they  had  lived  longer 
and  sinned  more.  Many,  we  know,  have  experi- 
enced this  change  in  infancy.  In  answer  to  prayer, 
young  Samuel  was  regenerated.  So  was  John  the 
Baptist.  They  were  not  created  holy.  Their 
nature  was  not,  in  this  respect,  different  from 
others.  Yet  they  were  sanctified  from  the  womb. 
In  their  case,  the  work  of  regenerating  grace,  (so 
far  as  we  can  understand,)  must  have  taken  place 
without  an  intelligent  co-operation  of  the  will. 
As  they  grew  in  stature,  they  grew  in  knowledge 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  49 

and  in  grace.  The  seed  so^vn  by  the  divine  Spirit 
in  the  young  heart,  long  before  the  parent  could 
have  access  to  it,  developed  in  a  most  striking 
manner  in  after  hfe.  And  so  thousands,  we  trust, 
have  in  like  manner  experienced  regeneration  in 
their  infancy,  many  of  Avhom  have  gone  to  people 
the  better  land,  and  others  have  remained  to  bless 
this  fallen  world. 

Christian  parents  have  a  right  to  pray  for  the 
regeneration  of  theh  children,  in  every  stage  of 
their  being ;  and  moreover  to  expect  it.  Let  them 
in  faith  give  them  up  to  God  ;  bringmg  them  to 
his  altar,  and  thus  formally  recognizing  his  right 
in  them,  and  his  gracious  promises  respecting 
them  ;  and  thenceforward  let  them  look  for  the 
work  of  the  Spirit  on  their  hearts.  Even  when  no 
evidence  of  such  a  change  can,  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  be  given,  let  them  hope  for  it ;  and  if  the 
cliild,  perad venture,  be  snatched  from  them  by 
death,  let  them  hope  and  believe  that  regeneration 
has  prepared  it  for  the  glorious  transition.  All 
this  is  plain  and  scriptural.  The  Bible  does  not 
deal  in  a  mystical  philosophy.  It  does  not  wrap 
up  the  moral  character  of  the  child  in  the  moral 
character  of  the  parent,  as  the  seed  is  wrapped  up 
in  the  capsule ;  making  the  development  as  natui-al 
and  as  homogeneous  in  the   one  case  as  in  the 


50  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

other.  It  has  no  such  hard  phrase  as  "  the  law 
of  organic  connection."  It  never  trenches  upon 
the  individual  responsibility.  In  all  its  social 
recognitions,  it  still  keeps  in  view  the  individual, 
conscious  soul,  and  pronounces  upon  the  character 
of  each.  Each  one  is  a  lost  sinner.  No  matter 
how  young  ;  each  has  a  nature  tainted  by  sin. 
Each  must  be  the  subject  of  a  distinct  work  of 
grace,  in  order  to  fit  it  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
In  all  this  we  simply  follow  the  Scriptures.  "  By 
one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for 
that  all  have  sinned."  "Death  reigned  fi'om 
Adam  to  Moses."  It  reigned  over  young  and 
old,  because  all  were  regarded  as  sinners,  even 
though  they  had  not  transgressed,  as  Adam  did, 
under  the  obligations  of  an  express  and  particular 
law. 

What  now  is  the  relation  of  infant  baptism  to 
the  sin  (original)  in  question  ?  The  papist,  and 
some  others  who  tread  closely  in  his  steps,  will 
say,  "  Baptism  regenerates  ;  it  changes  the  heart." 
I  need  not  stop  to  answer  or  disprove  this.  But 
what  is  our  view  of  infant  baptism  in  relation  to 
this  doctrine  —  original  sin  ?  We  say,  that  it 
recognizes  its  deep  stain,  and  points  to  the  only 
remedy,  "  the  washing  of   regeneration  and  the 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  51 

renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  In  tliis  rite^  the 
parent  professes  his  faith  in  these  great  doctrines  ; 
recognizes  the  fallen  state  of  his  cliilcl,  and  the 
necessity  of  redemption  by  the  blood  of  Jesus. 
In  this  tacit  or  symbolical  profession  of  faith,  he 
engages  to  pray  for  the  regeneration  of  the  cliild ; 
to  teach  it  to  pray  ;  to  instruct  it  in  the  word  that 
sanctifies ;  and  thus  to  "  bring  it  up  in  the  nur- 
tiu'e  and  admonition  of  the  Lord." 


OBJECTIONS    CONSIDERED. 

Here  is  something  that  all  can  understand. 
But  what  good,  some  may  ask,  accrues  directly  to 
the  baptized  child  ?  We  cannot,  with  certainty, 
know  what  good  will  accrue  to  it.  It  may  be, 
we  trust  it  often  is  the  case,  that  wdiere  such 
duty  is  performed  in  sincerity  and  in  faith,  the 
soul  of  the  child  will  be  visited  by  heavenly 
grace,  and  the  seeds  of  a  glorious  harvest  be  then 
and  there  sown.  The  parent  may  hope  and  ex- 
pect and  pray  for  such  an  inward  change  ;  but  he 
is  too  well  read  in  his  Bible  to  suppose  that  there 
is  any  mystical  vu'tue,  in  the  sacrament  itself,  to 
effect  tliis  change.  Some  repudiate  infant  bap- 
tism, on  the  ground  that  it  is  mystical  and  super- 
stitious ;  that  parents  are  apt  to  look  upon  it  as  a 


52  CHILDREN    BOEN    IN    SIN. 

sort  of  spiritual  charm  to  work  out  the  salvation 
of  their  children,  and  so  be  led  to  neglect  other 
and  more  appropriate  means  of  grace.  The  objec- 
tion, in  my  apprehension,  is  a  vain  one.  Every 
good  gift  of  God  may  be  abused.  Every  precious 
ordinance  may  be  perverted  by  ignorance  or  by 
hypocrisy.  Some  look  upon  the  sacrament  of  the 
supper  as  a  sacrifice  ;  and  others  declare  that  bap- 
tism is  regeneration  ;  and  some  even  make  a  great 
deal  of  the  particular  mode  in  which  baptism  is 
administered.  Suppose  we  should  say  to  the 
immersionist,  your  system  tends  to  pharisaism,  be- 
cause it  makes  so  much  of  a  mere  form.  This 
would  be  considered  very  uncharitable,  and  such 
a  consequence  of  immersion-baptism  would  be 
strenuously  denied.  Well,  then,  let  those  who 
differ  from  us  on  this  subject,  give  us  the  credit  of 
an  intelligent  understanding  of  the  ordinance  as 
we  practice  it ;  and  when  we  say  that  infant  bap- 
tism is  blessed  to  the  furtherance  of  household 
piety,  especially  where  its  obligations  are  faithfully 
carried  out,  let  them,  as  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
the  same  charitable  religion,  believe  us  sincere. 

We  say,  that  so  far  from  leading  to  a  neglect  of 
the  religious  training  of  our  children,  the  bap- 
tismal vows  bind  us  the  more  sacredly  to  its  per- 
formance.    We   declare  it  as  our  opinion,  more- 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  53 

over,  that  parents  who  hold  this  ordinance  dear, 
and  conscientiously  avail  themselves  of  its  privi- 
leges, are  the  ones  who  ordinarily  labor  and  pray 
for  the  conversion  and  spiritual  good  of  their 
households.  Does  not  the  church  of  God  draw 
her  strength  from  such  households  ;  and,  in  revi- 
vals of  rehgion,  do  we  not  find  young  converts 
assuming,  in  their  own  behalf,  the  vows  which 
their  parents  had  so  solemnly  taken  for  them? 
Thus,  "  instead  of  the  fathers  are  the  cliildren  ;  '* 
and  the  perpetuity  of  the  church,  thi'ough  the 
conversion  of  its  infant  members,  verifies  to  be- 
Kevers,  that  '  the  promise  is  to  them  and  to  their 
children.' 

What  is  the  practical  effect  of  our  theory, 
viz.,  that  in  baptism  we  recognize  the  native  de- 
pravity of  our  children,  and  our  dependence  on 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  change  the  heart?  We  have 
shown  the  effect  in  one  particular,  viz.,  to  lead  the 
parent  to  earnest  prayer  for  regenerating  grace. 
But  another  practical  effect  is,  to  watch  the  open- 
ing moral  faculties ;  to  observe  with  Christian 
solicitude  the  development  of  character  ;  hoping, 
meanwhile,  that  his  prayers  may  have  been  an- 
swered, and  that,  from  the  very  outset  of  exist- 
ence, the  evidences  of  piety  may  be   chscovered. 


54  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

I  mention  this,  because,  as  I  believe,  it  is  no 
uncommon  expectation,  on  the  part  of  those  who 
value  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  and  believe  in  the 
efficacy  of  prayer. 

Were  we  to  adopt  the  theory  of  infant  charac- 
ter, which  makes  depravity  the  result  of  tempta- 
tion,— assuming  that  the  pollution  lies  in  the 
body  rather  than  in  the  soul, — how  unreasonable 
it  would  be,  considering  the  power  of  the  animal 
propensities,  to  expect  any  early  development  of 
piety.  But  our  trust  in  the  promise  and  grace 
of  God,  that  the  soul,  dark  and  depraved  as  it  is 
by  nature,  will,  in  answer  to  prayer,  be  the  early 
subject  of  renewing  grace  ;  this  trust  leads  us  to 
look  for  an  early  development  of  piety.  Should 
this  happily  prove  to  be  the  case,  how  easy  and 
delightful  will  be  the  task  of  bringing  the  child 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ! 
But  even  should  no  such  marked  tendency  to 
divine  things  show  itself,  in  the  opening  charac- 
ter ;  or  should  even  an  opposite  tendency  be  seen, 
still  will  the  Christian  parent  hope  in  his  covenant 
God,  believing  that,  sooner  or  later,  under  faithful 
training  and  admonition,  the  child  of  the  covenant 
will  become  a  child  of  God. 

It  has  been  said,  or  insinuated,  that  our  views 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  55 

lead  us  to  expect  that  the  child  will  grow  up  in 
sin ;  that  conversion  cannot,  or,  at  least,  will  not 
take  place  until  adult  years,  and  so  Christians  are 
betrayed  into  a  practical  neglect  of  spiritual  nur- 
ture. After  what  has  been  said,  I  see  not  how 
any  such  notions  can  reasonably  or  truthfully  be 
charged  upon  us.  I  would  not  affirm  that  in  no 
case,  within  our  communion,  such  a  perversion 
of  the  truth  may  not  have  taken  place  ;  but  in 
the  name  of  all  our  intelKgent  and  devout  mem- 
bers, I  am  prepared  to  deny  its  application  to 
them.  They  do  not  expect  their  children  to  grow 
up  in  sin.  They  hope  and  pray  for  theh  conver- 
sion, in  every  period  of  theh  existence.  They  go 
even  farther  back  in  theh  expectations  than  the 
persons  who  bring  this  charge.  Such  persons, 
peradventure,  do  not  hold  to  the  necessity  of  a 
change  of  heart  in  infancy, — a  state  in  which, 
they  say,  no  sin  exists  in  the  soul.  Naturally 
enough,  then,  would  they  not  expect  or  pray  for 
its  regeneration.  But  believing,  as  we  do,  in  its 
native  sinfulness,  we  are  led  to  pray  for  its  regen- 
eration so  soon  as  it  has  being.  Thenceforward, 
depending  on  the  grace  of  God,  we  are  in  con- 
stant expectation  of  a  work  of  grace  on  the  youth- 
ful heart.     Every  day  witnesses  to  earnest  prayer 


56  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

for  this  grace  ;  and,  so  combining  instruction  with 
prayer,  "  we  are  as  they  that  hope  for  the  morn- 
ing." What  a  calumny  it  is,  to  say  that  we 
expect  our  children  to  grow  up  in  sin !  It  is  not 
the  case  ;  and,  I  trust  in  God,  it  never  ivill  be. 
If  our  children  grow  up  in  sin,  it  is  in  despite  of 
our  tears,  our  hopes,  and  our  prayers.  If  ever 
the  day  should  come  when  this  allegation  shall  be 
true,  it  will  be  when  the  Abrahamic  covenant  is 
rejected;  when  infant  baptism  shall  have  fallen 
into  neglect,  and  the  vows  and  obligations  which 
it  implies  are  no  longer  publicly  recognized. 

We  need  every  auxiliary  influence  which  can  be 
lawfully  brought  to  bear,  to  bind  us  to  a  faithful 
performance  of  parental  duty.  The  God  of  Abra- 
ham has  given  us  this  sacred  ligature.  It  is  as 
one  of  the  cords  of  love  wherewith  we  are  drawn 
to  duty.  Religion  extends  her  dominion  into  the 
sanctuary  of  parental  love,  and  claims  both  us  and 
our  children  to  her  service.  In  all  the  varying 
phases  of  the  church  she  has  made  provision  for 
our  offspring.  In  her  ancient  constitution  they 
were  especially  provided  for.  The  seal  of  the 
righteousness  of  faith  must  be  affixed  to  them. 
They  had  to  wear  in  their  flesh  the  mark  of  God's 
heritage.     The  parent  was  bound  to  train  them  up 


CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN.  5T 

for  God.  How  beautiful  also  the  sight,  when  at 
an  age  susceptible  of  religious  culture,  they  were 
brought  to  the  temple,  with  appropriate  sacrifices  ; 
there  to  receive  impressions  which  the  solemnities 
of  that  worship  were  calculated  to  inspire.  By 
covenant  and  by  promise,  children  belonged  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Hence  said  Jesus,  '  suffer 
them  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not.' 

And  does  the  same  church  of  God,  under  its 
extended  and  renovated  constitution,  with  better 
promises,  with  enlarged  privileges,  allow  no  place 
for  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  within  her  visible  fold  ? 
Assuredly  this  cannot  be. 

The  church  has  always  acted  on  the  assumption, 
that  her  privileges  in  this  respect  have  not  been 
curtailed.  How  interesting  also,  under  the  new 
covenant,  is  the  moral  spectacle,  when  those,  to 
whom  God  has  given  childi'en,  are  seen  at  his 
altar,  with  their  precious  charge  ;  recognizing 
God's  right  in  them,  recognizing  their  sinful  state, 
their  need  of  the  regenerating  Spirit,  and  offering 
them  up  with  faith  in  the  covenant  which  is  well- 
ordered  and  sure ! 

Here  is  a  bond  that  binds  with  a  twofold 
strength.  Parental  love  and  religious  faith  twine 
around  the  unconscious  immortal  committed  to  our 
5 


58  CHILDREN    BORN    IN    SIN. 

trust.  Oh,  never  may  the  church  see  the  day 
when  mdifFerence  m  regard  to  mfant  consecration 
shall  be  prevalent !  It  would  mark  a  sad  era  in 
her  history ;  nor  would  it  require  any  prophetic 
inspiration  to  discern  gathering  around  her  destiny, 
the  shadows  of  a  fearful  apostacy. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

DUTY  OF  PARENTS  TO  THEIR  UNCONVERTED 
CHILDREN. 

Children  generally  indicate  a  sinful  rather  than  a  gracious  state — manifest 
at  a  verj'  early  age — parental  influence,  when  should  it  begin — first, 
restraint  of  the  passions — the  responsible  season  for  moral  culture — chil- 
dren taught  their  relation  to  God — the  idea  of  God,  and  its  influence — 
conscience,  when  operative — moral  ideas,  how  inculcated — the  object 
which  a  Christian  parent  should  keep  in  view — natural  aptitude  in  the 
young  mind  to  receive  religious  impressions — the  being  of  God  a  great 
lever  in  the  hand  of  the  parent — how  far  natural  rehgion  aids  us — the 
Bible,  the  great  thesaurus  of  instruction — proper  views  of  the  divine 
character  to  be  inculcated. 

Ha^^ng  laid  the  foundation  of  the  true  theory 
of  Christian  nurture,  in  the  necessity  of  a  change 
of  heart,  by  which,  speaking  in  a  figure,  the  soil 
is  prepared  for  the  seed  ;  and,  starting  from  this 
point,  we  may  inquire,  "What  is  best  adapted  to 
further  our  proposed  design  ? 

If  God  shall  see  fit  to  change  the  heart  in 
infancy, — which,  as  we  have  seen.  Christian  pa- 
rents may  not  unreasonably  expect, — the  work  of 
Christian  training  will  be  comparatively  easy. 
But  as  this  blessed  result  is  but  too  seldom  real- 


60  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

ized,  we  are  to  take  the  case  in  its  more  common 
aspect,  as  when  our  children  are  cast  upon  our 
tutelage,  with  the  manifest  indications  of  a  self- 
ish and  sin-loving  heart.  Meeting  them  at  the 
threshold  of  existence,  as  their  moral  guardians, 
we  are  to  exert  upon  them  an  influence  which 
may  tend  to  mould  their  characters  into  conformity 
to  the  will  of  God.  This  is  Christian  nurture  ; 
whether  it  be  applied  to  the  more  full  develop- 
ment of  Christian  character,  the  seminal  principle 
of  which  may  have  been  implanted  in  infancy,  or 
whether  such  training  aim,  by  appropriate  means, 
under  God,  at  producing  the  first  elements  of 
piety. 

To  some,  the  latter  process  may  seem  hardly  to 
justify  the  use  of  the  term,  "  Chiistian  nurture  ;  " 
which,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  seems  to 
suppose  the  cultivation  of  a  seed  already  im- 
planted. But  we  take  the  expression  in  a  more 
liberal  and  extended  sense,  just  as  we  instruct  a 
promiscuous  assembly  in  the  things  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  The  same  means  will,  at  the  same 
time,  be  blessed  to  the  edification  of  one  class, 
and  to  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  another. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that,  when  the 
Apostle  enjoined  it  upon  the  Ephesians  to  "  bring 
up  their  childien  in  the  nurture  and  admonition 


TO    THEIR   UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  61 

of  the  Lord/'  lie  had  in  view  only  such  children 
as  were  pious.  Indeed,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  he  had  reference  to  the  formation  of  piety, 
by  God's  appointed  means,  in  the  hearts  of  chil- 
di'en  as  yet  not  under  its  governing  influence. 

Most  children,  even  of  pious  parents,  do  not, 
we  lament  to  say,  give  early  evidence  of  a  change 
of  heart.  But  may  not  the  seeds  of  piety  be  in 
them,  it  has  been  asked,  Avhile  yet  the  parent  is 
ignorant  of  it  ?  Is  it  right  to  infer,  because  there 
are  no  manifest  disclosures  of  pious  tendencies, 
that  therefore  piety  does  not  exist  ?  It  is  super- 
fluous, I  should  think,  to  put  such  inquiries. 
The  question  answers  itself  A  piety  without 
evidence  !  A  plant  without  any  leaf,  bud  or  fra- 
grance !  How  absurd  !  If  any  where  in  God's 
creation,  and  among  his  creatures,  the  evidence  of 
a  moral  change  should  be  looked  for,  it  is  where 
the  heart  is  yet  in  its  unsophisticated  state.  It  is 
when,  as  yet,  the  cold  and  chilling  atmosphere 
of  earth's  influences  have  not  fallen  upon  and 
blighted  it.  If  in  this  early  stage  we  see  no 
proofs  of  piety,  no  development  heavenward,  we 
are  obliged,  I  think,  to  infer,  though  with  painful 
reluctance,  that  the  child  is  not  yet,  by  regenera- 
tion, a  child  of  God.  On  this  point,  let  us  not 
deceive  ourselves.     Let  us  know  the  worst  of  the 


62  DUTY   OF    PARENTS 

case,  that  we  may  pro\ide  for  it.  Then  shall  we 
feel  our  responsibility,  and  begin,  with  prayerful 
earnestness,  the  work  assigned  us  in  its  behalf. 

What  is  the  work  thus  assigned  us,  and  how 
are  we  to  apply  this  nurture  to  the  infantile  state  ? 

PARENTAL   INPLUENCE,    WHEN    SHOULD   IT   BEGIN  ? 

There  is  a  period,  I  would  observe,  before 
divine  truth  can  be  understood  or  felt,  when  pa- 
rental influence  should  be  exerted  in  restraining 
the  motions  of  the  flesh.  It  is  perilous  to  allow 
a  child  to  have  its  own  way  and  will,  even  prior 
to  the  development  of  that  intelligence  which  is 
requisite  in  order  to  oral  instruction.  A  parent 
will  sometimes  say,  '  The  little  creature  cannot 
now  understand,  and  it  would  be  cruel  to  restrain 
it  until  it  can.'  Parental  love  may  easily  find  rea- 
sons, why  every  whim  and  wish  of  the  selfish 
heart  should  be  gratified.  In  this  way,  the  evil 
passions  may  be  prematurely  developed  and 
strengthened.  How  often  is  this  the  case  ;  and 
how  deplorable  is  the  result !  On  the  other  hand, 
parental  influence  may  be  judiciously  exerted,  in 
restraining  the  outbreakings  of  petulance ;  in 
counteracting  the  selfish  and  sensual  tendencies  ; 
and   in  calming  down  the  ebuhtions  of  passion. 


TO   THEIR   UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  63 

The  natural  wants  of  the  child  being  attended 
to,  its  caprices  and  passions  should  be  steadily- 
resisted.  Who  does  not  see  that,  by  such  a  course 
of  early  discipline,  the  impediments  to  moral 
instruction,  if  not  removed,  will  be  less  powerful 
than  when  a  system  of  early  and  unlimited  indul- 
gence is  allowed  ?  We  do  not  ai'gue  in  favor  of 
severity ;  but  we  earnestly  teach,  that  a  steady 
and  judicious  opposition  should  be  maintained,  in 
this  early  stage  of  infant  existence,  to  the  mani- 
fested caprices  and  passions  of  its  nature.  It  will 
then  come  into  our  moral  school, — not,  indeed, 
without  a  sinful  nature,  nor  without  selfish  and 
sensual  passions, — but  in  a  far  more  hopeful  con- 
dition for  the  reception  of  truth,  and  the  implant- 
ation of  virtuous  principle.  Tliis  point,  I  fear, 
is  not  enough  considered  in  the  practical  discipKne 
of  children.  Parents  will  sometimes  coax  and 
indulge,  under  circumstances  when  they  ought 
calmly,  but  firmly,  to  resist.  They  will  rack  their 
invention  to  find  out  the  means  of  pacifying  the- 
child,  accumulating  around  it  all  the  supposed, 
objects  of  its  desires,  whilst  the  petulant  little 
creature  is  meanwhile  casting  away  everything, 
that  is  offered,  and  giving  vent  to  the  most  out- 
rageous and  unbridled  passion.  Such  a  course  of 
treatment  can  sui*ely  be  no  otherwise  than  disas- 


64  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

trous.  At  the  period  of  moral  intelligence,  wlien 
the  religious  cultui'e  is  to  be  applied,  this  indul- 
gent parent  will  find  the  work  difficult,  if  not 
entirely  hopeless.  Often  is  such  an  one  heard 
to  say,  ^  I  know  not  Avhat  to  do  with  my  child. 
I  cannot  make  him  do  right.  I  have  tried  my 
utmost,  and  all  my  efforts  seem  to  be  ineffectual.' 
But  this  parent,  mayhap,  did  not  begin  far  enough 
back.  He  allowed  parental  love  to  get  the  ascend- 
ency of  parental  duty.  He  put  the  reins  on  the 
neck  of  passion,  when  it  should  have  had  the 
curb.  What,  therefore,  can  he  expect,  but  resist- 
ance and  rebellion  ? 

The  moral  education  can  scarcely  begin  too 
soon.  The  first  motions  of  the  physical  nature  are 
the  avenues  to  it.  The  first  betrayal  of  passion  is 
the  signal  for  commencing  it.  The  will  is  to  be 
reached,  ere  the  mind  can  be  made  intelligently  to 
comprehend  the  discipline.  This  being  well  un- 
derstood and  acted  upon,  there  will  be  far  less 
difficulty  when  the  opening  mind  is  to  be  affected 
by  religious  instruction. 

THE  RESPONSIBLE   SEASON    FOR   MORAL    CULTURE. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  a  point  of  absorbing 
interest   in   the   educational  process  ;    when   the 


TO    THEIR   UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  65 

moral  character  shows  itself  more  decidedly,  and 
the  principles  of  action  are  taking  root  for  good  or 
for  evil.  Without  attempting  to  say  at  what  pre- 
cise period  this  development  takes  place, — it  being 
evident  that  some  children  are  much  more  preco- 
cious than  others, — we  believe  that  an  intelligent 
parent,  on  the  watch  for  every  sign  of  improve- 
ment, will  be  at  no  loss  when  the  seeds  of  truth 
and  vhtue  are  to  be  sown. 

The  Christian  parent  will  deeply  feel  the  aug- 
mented weight  of  responsibility  as  he  approaches 
this  period  of  moral  culture.  He  wdll  be  anxious 
to  know  the  method  best  adapted  to  train  up  his 
child  in  the  "  nurture  and  admonition  of  the 
Lord ; "  to  form  its  habits  to  virtue  and  useful- 
ness ;  and  especially  to  secure  its  everlasting  life. 

We  address  ourselves  to  such  parents,  in  the 
hope  of  rendering  some  assistance  in  the  interest- 
ing and  responsible  work  intrusted  to  them.  We 
say  to  them,  therefore,  teach  your  children,  among 
the  earliest  lessons,  their  relation  to  God,  as  crea- 
tures, and  as  sinners. 

Every  parent  who  attempts  it,  experiences  the 
difficulty  of  conveying  to  the  mind  of  the  child, 
abstract  ideas.  The  reflective  faculty,  which  is 
the  medium  of  such  instruction,  is  but  feebly,  if 
at  all,  operative  in  early  childhood.     The  senses 


66  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

are  then  awake  and  busy ;  storing  the  mind  with 
images  and  ideas,  to  be  in  after  hfe  the  material 
on  which  reason  and  reflection  are  to  act.  The 
senses  are  the  pioneer  servants  of  the  sonl.  A 
parent's  ingenuity  is  tasked  in  restraining,  rectify- 
ing, and  guiding  the  young  curiosity,  in  its  inqui- 
ries and  conclusions,  amid  the  world  of  wonders 
which  is  opening  upon  it.  Let  him  exercise  the 
patience  that  is  requisite.  Let  him  see  to  it  that 
true,  and  not  false  impressions,  are  being  made. 
Let  him  stand  at  the  gateway  of  the  mind,  and 
take  care  that  notliing  enters  which  shall  be  a 
foundation  of  subsequent  skepticism.  The  child 
should  never  have  it  in  his  power  to  say,  in  after 
Kfe,  '  Through  parental  indifference  or  impatience, 
you  allowed  me  to  receive  erroneous  impressions.' 

We  can  scarcely  overstate  the  importance  of 
truth,  in  its  purest  forms,  even  with  regard  to 
those  ideas  which  the  senses  supply,  and  which 
are  the  first  material  on  which  the  reasoning 
faculties  operate. 

But  can  the  young  querist  be  made  to  compre- 
hend subjects,  which  are  out  of  the  region  of 
sensible  ideas  ;  and  may  the  parent  commence  a 
system  of  moral  and  religious  inculcation  at  this 
early  period  ?  I  answer.  Yes  ;  and  the  sooner  the 
better.      This  natui^al   curiosity  which   tasks   his 


TO   THEIR    UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  67 

patience,  in  explaining  material  things,  is  but  a 
development  of  soul.  It  is  the  moral  faculty, 
asking  for  the  implements  of  its  future  occupation. 
It  i^  that  very  faculty  Avhich  distinguishes  man 
from  the  brute  beast,  whose  knowledge  is  instinc- 
tive rather  than  acquired ;  and  although,  accord- 
ing to  the  course  of  nature,  the  senses  are  first 
busied  in  gathering  together  the  ideas  of  the 
external  world,  yet  will  the  moral  faculty  very 
early  respond. to  those  which  belong  to  the  higher 
relations  of  our  being. 


THE    IDEA    OF    GOD. 

There  is  in  the  young  immortal  a  quick  per- 
ception of  its  accountability.  This  is  felt  first 
towards  the  parent,  and  then,  by  a  natural  and 
easy  transition,  towards  the  Great  Parent  of  all. 
How  interesting  is  the  moment,  when  the  great 
idea,  '  God,'  is  first  presented  to  the  young 
inquirer !  He  has  begun  to  reason.  He  is  ask- 
ing, with  intense  interest,  after  the  causes  of  this 
and  of  that ;  how  one  thing  differs  from  another ; 
and  how  the  diversified  frame-work  of  nature  can 
be  so  and  thus  ?  Then  may  be  introduced  the 
great  primary  idea  of  a  Creator  and  a  Governor, 
the  Author  and  the  End  of  all  things.     The  effect 


68  DUTY   OF    PARENTS 

is  quickly  perceived  on  the  young  mind.  There 
is  awe  ;  there  is  wonder.  The  idea  may  at  first 
be  but  faintly  conceived ;  and  many  embarrassing 
thoughts  may  come  along  with  it,  giving  ri^  to 
questions  which  it  may  require  much  wisdom  to 
answer,  and  which,  in  some  instances,  are  unan- 
swerable. Still  the  soul  has  begun  to  struggle 
with  the  thought,  and  to  feel  its  influence.  The 
child  has  found  a  power  above  that  of  the  parent, 
and  a  tribunal  to  wliich  both  child  and  parent  are 
responsible. 

From  this  moment  the  moral  faculties  are  more 
distinctly  at  work.  Conscience  begins  to  suggest 
the  ideas  of  right  and  wrong.  The  character 
begins  to  develop,  and  the  great  work  of  religious 
culture  is  begun.  From  this  period  onward, 
every  lawful  means  should  be  used,  to  enlighten 
the  mind,  to  fix  the  principles,  and  to  save  the 
soul. 

In  this  religious  culture,  the  child's  relation  to 
God,  as  its  creator,  is,  of  course,  an  elementary 
idea.  It  is  an  idea  easily  imparted.  It  so  hap- 
pens, that  the  construction  and  modification  of 
material  things,  for  ornamental  and  useful  pur- 
poses, is  constantly  going  on  before  its  eyes.  He 
sees  it  amid  the  household  arrangements,  and  it 
meets  him  in  all  his  walks  abroad.     He  is  imrav- 


TO   THEIR   UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  69 

eling,  for  his  own  amusement,  the  piece  of  net- 
work that  accidentally  falls  into  his  hands,  or 
breaking  and  reconstructing  the  toy  that  is  pur- 
chased for  his  gratification.  The  idea  of  construc- 
tion is  thus  very  early  fixed  in  his  young  mind. 
It  is  not  a  difficult  process,  therefore,  to  raise  that 
mind  to  the  conception  of  the  Great  Maker  of  all 
things.  And  here  his  own  body  furnishes  an 
ever  present  illustration.  All  nature,  too,  is  a 
school.  Every  beautiful  object;  every  curious 
animal ;  the  seed  that  vegetates  ;  the  flower  that 
is  unfolding  ;  the  rain-drop,  and  the  dew-drop ; 
the  sun-beam ;  the  air  ;  the  ocean  ; — all,  wliilst 
they  administer  delight,  administer  also  instruc- 
tion. In  this  school,  w^here  silent  natui'e  unrolls 
her  page,  stands  the  parent  and  his  infant  pupil. 
Can  he  want  motives  or  means  to  lead  that  infant 
soul  through  nature  up  to  nature's  God  ?  Had 
he  nothing  more  in  view  than  the  expansion  and 
improvement  of  the  mind ;  its  early  appreciation 
of  the  sublime  and  beautiful  in  nature ;  he  might 
well  thus  inculcate  the  connection,  as  cause  and 
effect,  of  God,  with  all  the  wonders  and  glories 
of  creation.  But  the  Christian  parent  has  a  higher 
object  in  view.  He  aims  to  lay  deep,  in  the 
youthful  heart,  the  impression  of  its  relations  and 


TO  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

its  responsibility  to  this  unseen  and  almighty 
Being  ;  to  fix  that  all- controlling  idea,  of  an  omni- 
present and  omniscient  God. 

There  is,  so  to  speak,  a  natural  aptitude,  in 
every  young  mind,  to  receive  such  an  impression. 
Atheism  is  the  wish  of  a  wicked  heart,  rather  than 
the  conviction  of  the  intelligent  mind.  Dreadful 
as  the  belief  of  a  God  is,  to  one  who  determines 
to  indulge  in  sin,  it  is  an  idea,  nevertheless,  which 
skepticism  cannot  wholly  eradicate.  Deep  in  the 
moral  nature,  has  the  Creator  laid  a  foundation 
for  tliis  great  primary  truth  ;  and  early,  almost  in 
infancy,  will  the  conscience  respond  to  it. 

This  truth — the  being  of  God — is  the  great 
lever  to  be  used  in  all  the  subsequent  training  of 
the  soul.  There  is  a  God,  who  made,  and  who 
governs  all ;  a  Being,  not  only  of  infinite  power 
but  of  spotless  purity.  There  is  a  God  to  whom 
all  are  responsible  ;  who  weighs  the  actions  of 
young  and  of  old ;  whose  eye  scans  even  the  most 
secret  thoughts  ;  and  who  will  bring  into  judg- 
ment every  w^ork,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether 
it  be  evil. 

Can  a  child  not  be  made  to  understand  this  ? 
Does  not  the  embryo  principle  of  such  responsi- 
bility stir  in  his  very  nature  ?      Has  it  not  begiui 


TO    THEIR    UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  71 

to  move  under  the  parental  government?  It  is 
surely,  then,  no  difficult  thing  to  awaken  it  more 
fully  in  relation  to  the  great  Governor  of  all. 

So  far,  even  natural  religion  might  serve  to  aid 
us.  But  natui'al  religion  has  obscured  the  just 
idea  of  God.  It  has  made  him  anything  but  the 
true  God.  It  has  even  "  changed  his  glory  into 
an  image,  made  Hke  unto  corruptible  man." 
Thanks  be  to  God  that,  in  behalf  of  ourselves 
and  of  our  children,  we  have  sometliing  more  and 
something  better  than  the  light  of  nature.  We 
have  God  in  the  Bible.  We  there  learn  his  true 
character,  and  our  relations  to  him.  This  book, 
then,  is  our  guide.  It  is  the  great  lesson-book, 
from  which  the  soul  is  to  take  its  elementary  and 
its  ultimate  instructions ;  its  axioms  and  its  demon- 
strations ;  its  simple  alphabet  and  its  sublimest 
combinations.  In  this  book,  the  weakest  intellect 
may  begm  its  researches,  and  the  strongest  and 
best  disciplined  minds  may  profitably  pui-sue  theirs. 
It  is  a  book  for  all.  It  is  like  the  sun,  whose 
beam,  shooting  through  a  crevice,  may  amuse  and 
interest  a  child,  whilst  it  furnishes,  at  the  same 
time,  an  occasion  for  the  prismatic  glass  of  the 
philosopher.  Be  grateful,  ye  parents,  that  God 
has  given  you  this  celestial  light ;  that  he  has  put 
into  your  hands  this  great  lesson-book  for  eter- 


72  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

nity.  Make  the  use  of  it  whicli  he  enjoins. 
Train  up  your  children  in  its  admonitions.  It  is 
the  thesaurus^  out  of  which  you  are  to  gather  that 
wisdom,  which  is  better  than  rubies,  and  more 
precious  than  fine  gold.  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 
the  beginning  of  such  wisdom.  To  fear  God  is 
thus  the  first  great  lesson  of  childhood. 


PROPER   ^^EWS    OF    GOD's    CHARACTER   TO    BE 
INCULCATED. 


But  the  child  must  have  something  beside  an 
abstract  idea  of  God.  In  holding  up  before  him 
simply  the  notion  of  a  great  and  omnipotent 
Creator,  there  is  danger  of  producing  in  his  mind 
slavish  fear  rather  than  filial  confidence.  Omnipo- 
tence is  not  the  only  light  in  which  God  presents 
himself  He  chooses  to  take  the  appellation  of  a 
father,  and  to  recognize  us  as  his  children.  "  I 
have  nourished  and  brought  them  up  as  children." 
"  Doubtless  thou  art  oiu'  Father,  though  Abraham 
be  ignorant  of  us." 

This  recognition  of  the  relation  of  God  to  his 
creatures,  as  the  great  Parent  of  all,  is  as  endear- 
ing as  it  is  condescending.  It  is  one  too,  which, 
fi*om  the  analogous  position  of  an  earthly  parent, 
can   be   readily  comprehended   by  our   children. 


TO   THEIR   TNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  73 

The  providential  care  everywhere  manifested,  in 
the  abundant  and  appropriate  provision  which  the 
Great  Benefactor  has  made  for  all  his  creatures, 
affords  constant  occasion  for  the  inculcation  of  a 
grateful  spuit.  It  associates  God,  in  the  young 
mind,  with  everything  that  is  beneficent  in  his 
works.  It  begets  confidence  in  him,  as  that 
Being  who,  clothing  the  grass  of  the  field,  and 
providing  for  the  bii'ds  of  the  air,  will  assuredly 
take  care  of  his  more  highly  endowed  creatures. 

It  has  been  asserted,  as  we  think  calumniously, 
that  because  our  religion  sets  God  before  us  as  the 
hater  and  avenger  of  sin,  it  is  calculated  to  beget 
a  terrific  and  morbid  di'ead  of  him ;  that  our  sys- 
tem is  repugnant  to  beautiful  and  allui-ing  views 
of  the  divine  character.  As  this  is  a  mere  matter 
of  opinion,  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  we  see  no 
such  necessary  result.  The  question  about  our 
religion  is  simply,  whether  it  is  true  1  Is  it  the 
religion  of  the  Bible  1  We  say,  it  is ;  that  in 
this  Bible,  God  does  reveal  himself  as  a  sin- 
hating,  sin-avenging  God.  "  Sin  is  that  abomi- 
nable thing  which  his  soul  hateth."  And  with 
all  his  tendencies  to  mercy,  "  he  will  by  no 
means  clear  the  guilty."  Now  does  true  religion, 
founded  on  such  a  revelation  of  God's  character 
and  purpose,  beget  erroneous  or  unworthy  views 
6 


74  DUTY    OF    PARENTS 

of  him  ?  It  is  a  moral  solecism  to  assert  it.  The 
alluring  features  of  the  divine  character,  we  are 
as  apt  to  dwell  upon  as  any  other  class  of  relig- 
ious men.  Because  we  believe  in  his  justice,  do 
we,  therefore,  never  speak  of  his  mercy?  Be- 
cause we  say  he  will  punish  sin,  and  sinners, 
being  impenitent,  do  we,  therefore,  deny  that  on 
certain  conditions  he  will  pardon  ?  It  is  true  we 
do  speak  of  his  whole  character.  We  would  not 
give  our  children  an  imperfect  or  partial  represent- 
ation of  the  divine  Being,  as  some  may  deem  it 
expedient  to  do.  We  entertain  no  feai's  of  any 
bad  result  in  speaking  of  God,  just  as  the  Bible 
speaks  of  him.  Indeed,  we  are  solemnly  bound 
so  to  do.  We  deem  this  course  best,  because 
there  is  no  deception  in  it ;  and  because  it  is  the 
only  way  to  secure  the  end  we  have  in  view,  viz., 
the  salvation  of  our  children. 

But  we  can,  and  we  do  lead  the  inquisitive  mind 
out  among  God's  glorious  works,  and  inculcate 
those  lessons  which  such  diversified  beauty  and 
grandeur  are  calculated  to  inspire.  This  is  all- 
important  as  laying  a  basis  for  that  conviction  of 
personal  ingratitude  and  sinfulness,  which  natu- 
rally arises  from  a  contrasted  view  of  God's  good- 
ness and  the  creature's  obduracy  and  neglect.     See 


TO   THEIR   UNCONVERTED    CHILDREN.  75 

what  God  has  done  for  thee,  we  say ;  and  then 
behold  thy  own  ingratitude  and  forgetfidness  of 
him.  Thus  is  brought  to  view  another  very  im- 
portant relation  which  our  children  sustain  to  God, 
viz.,  that  of  sinners. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD  AS 
SINNERS. 

Selfishness  the  great  antag-onistical  principle  to  truth  and  's-irtue — the  child 
to  be  apprised  of  its  naturally  evil  heart — how  it  may  be  impressed  with 
the  nature  and  turpitude  of  sin — by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin — its 
use  in  convincing  the  child  of  his  delinquencies — this  course  has  been 
excepted  to — the  objections  considered — our  ideas  of  youthful  depravity 
stated — the  effect  of  our  inculcations  on  the  child — conviction  necessary 
to  conversion — to  the  appreciation  of  redemption  by  Christ — children 
placed  under  the  tutelage  of  the  law — what  is  the  duty  of  Orthodox 
Christians  on  this  point — can  children  understand  the  doctrines  ? — the 
great  end  of  all  these  inculcations,  viz.,  their  conversion  to  God. 

Creatr^  power  and  goodness  cast  the  thoughts 
back  upon  man,  for  whom  all  this  lavish  expendi- 
ture seems  to  have  been  made.  The  creature, 
however,  is  seen  to  be  cold  and  indifferent  towards 
the  Great  Benefactor.  He  is  found  greedily  appro- 
priating the  gifts  of  Providence,  but  unthankful  in 
their  reception,  and  intemperate  in  their  enjoy- 
ment. He  perverts  to  purposes  of  sinful  indul- 
gence a  world,  the  use  of  which  he  is  allowed ; 
but  the  abuse  of  which,  by  the  law  of  God,  is 


RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD.      77 

forbidden.  There  is  a  spontaneous  and  universal 
selfishness — the  root  of  all  other  evils — ^which 
springs  forth  from  a  corrupt  nature,  the  common 
inheritance  of  us  all. 

What  parent  does  not  discover  in  this  selfishness 
the  antagonist  principle  of  all  the  good  which  he 
aims  to  inculcate  ?  Must  not  the  child  be  apprised 
of  this  naturally  evil  heart  ?  Must  he  not  be  given 
to  understand,  that  it  is  this  which  lies  at  the  basis 
of  all  wrong  conduct ;  that  not  that  which  goeth 
into  a  man  defileth,  but  that  which  cometh  out 
of  him,  even  out  of  his  heait ;  "  that  the  heart 
is  deceitful  above  all  '  things,  and  desperately 
wicked"  ? 

If  the  child  shall  have  been  regenerated  in 
infancy^  it  will  subscribe  to  the  truth  of  tliis  ;  for 
it  ^vill  have,  in  its  own  young  experience,  in  the 
earliest  struggles  against  temptation,  the  evidence 
of  a  strong  natural  tendency  to  sin.  If  the  child 
has  not  been  thus  early  regenerated,  his  conscience 
will  not  be  slow  to  endorse  these  views  of  natural 
depravity.  He  will  see  enough,  under  the  most 
favorable  cii'cumstances,  and  in  the  exercise  of  a 
more  than  ordinarily  amiable  temper,  to  convince 
him  that  his  Bible  speaks  truth,  when  it  says, 
"  Foohshness,"  another  name  for  sin,  "  is  bound 
in  the  heart  of  a  cliild." 


78  RELATION    OF    CHILDREN    TO    GOD 


HOW  SHALL  THE  CHILD  BE  IMPRESSED  WITH  THE 
NATURE  AND  TURPITUDE  OF  SIN  ? 

In  order  to  impress  a  child  with  the  nature  and 
turpitude  of  sin,  one  of  the  most  important  consid- 
erations should  be  a  right  understanding  of  the 
divine  law.  He  must  have  a  standard  of  right  and 
wrong  ;  one  that  will  apply  to  an  every-day,  prac- 
tical experience ;  one  that  is  of  universal  applica- 
tion, and  that  has  the  sanction  of  the  great  Jehovah. 
The  law  of  the  Ten  Commandments  is  just  such  a 
standard.  Keeping  in  view,  as  of  the  highest  im- 
portance, a  conviction  of  sin,  such  a  conviction  as 
shall  lead  to  a  thorough  conversion  from  sin,  we 
must,  among  the  earliest  lessons,  inculcate  the 
obhgations  of  God's  law ;  for  "  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin."  Children  may  be  made  to 
to  see  its  apphcation  and  its  extent.  Its  two  great 
principles  are  not  difficult  of  inculcation  or  of 
comprehension.  To  love  God  with  all  the  heart, 
and  to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  is  a  form 
of  condensed  morality  and  virtue  which  even 
childhood  may  be  made  to  understand.  Kecogniz- 
ing  the  obhgation,  they  may  be  led  to  see  and  feel 
their  deficiency.  Selfishness,  the  sin  of  all,  and 
the  imdisguised  sin  of  childhood,  will  be  discov- 


AS    SINNERS.  79 

ered  and  rebuked  in  the  light  of  this  holy  law. 
God  commands  us  to  teach  our  children  his  stat- 
utesj  and  commends  his  servant  Abraham  for  so 
doing.  He  has  incorporated  in  this,  his  law,  one 
precept  expressly  addressed  to  the  young.  He 
has  fortified  parental  authority,  and  sustained 
household  discipline,  by  a  command  that  meets  and 
rebukes  the  sin  of  disobedience.  The  Christian 
parent  will  feel  obliged  to  use  it  daily,  to  refer  to 
it  on  all  occasions  of  delinquency,  and  to  make  it 
a  means  not  only  of  restraint  but  of  conviction. 
He  will  sit  down  by  the  side  of  his  child  and  say, 
^  See  here,  thy  conduct,  in  this  and  that  particular, 
is  a  direct  violation  of  this  holy  law.  God  com- 
mands thee  thus,  and  thou  hast  done  contraiy  to 
this  precept.  See  in  this  pui'e  mirror  thy  sin,  and 
know  that  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of 
God.' 

We  are  aware  that  this  full  and  frank  exposure 
of  the  natural  depravity  and  practical  sin  of  our 
childi-en,  has-been  excepted  to,  and  condemned,  by 
those  who  look  upon  childhood  as  a  state  of  inno- 
cence. We  are  called  rigid,  morose,  even  cruel, 
in  this  apphcation  of  truth  to  the  sins  and  foUies 
of  the  young.  It  is  actually  made  an  argument 
against  our  doctrinal  views.  Our  rehgion  is  pro- 
nounced severe,  and  contrary  to  the  joyous  spirit 


80      RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD 

of  Clu'istiaiiity.  But  these  objections  to  the  course 
we  recommend,  are  too  indiscruninate  to  have  any 
weight.  If  we  beheved  that  childhood  was  a 
state  of  absolute  innocence,  as  some  profess  to 
believe — that  the  young  heart  is  pure  and  natu- 
rally fit  for  heaven,  as  some  even  declare — we 
should  indeed  deem  it  cruel  to  overcloud,  by  the 
dark  shadow  of  sin,  so  fair  and  beautiful  a  morn- 
insr.  But  whilst  we  admit  that  childliood  is  com- 
paratively  an  innocent  state,  we  do  not  believe  that 
it  is  sinless,  nor  that  it  is  naturally  fit  for  heaven. 
Our  views,  as  already  explained,  go  to  show  that 
children  are  born  with  a  sinful  nature,  which  can 
be  fitted  for  heaven  only  by  a  change  of  heart. 
We  are  free  to  confess  that  our  views  of  Christian 
truth  do  modify  the  moral  treatment  of  our  chil- 
dren ;  and  the  only,  or  all-important  question  is. 
Are  these  views  such  as  are  found  in  the  Bible  ? 

It  might  seem  to  some,  more  the  expression  of 
love,  to  keep  our  children  as  far  as  possible  igno- 
rant of  their  true  state  and  condition  as  sumers  ; 
to  open  the  vista  of  the  future,  and  plant  it  only 
with  flowers,  and  color  it  only  with  rainbow  hues. 
This,  to  some,  would  sound  very  fine,  and  seem 
very  loving.  But  we,  who  fear  our  children  may 
be  lost,  or  die  in  their  sins  ;  who  know,  from 
God's  word,  that  unless  renewed,  they  will  be  ; 


AS    SINNERS.  81 

may  show  our  affection  in  a  way  very  different, 
but  quite  as  sincere  as  those  who  beheve  another 
doctrine_,  and  pursue  a  different  plan.  Children 
must  not  be  indulged  and  gratified  at  the  expense 
of  truth,  and  at  the  hazard  of  their  perdition.  An 
Orthodox  Chi'istian  parent  could  not  sleep  easy  on 
his  pillow,  if  he  did  not  teach  his  children  that 
they  were  lost  sinners ;  and  that,  to  enter  a  holy 
heaven,  they  must  have  a  renewed,  that  is,  a  holy 
heart.  Is  this  cruel,  or  morose  ?  Would  it  not 
be  far  more  cruel,  to  keep  them  ignorant  of  their 
true  state  and  condition  as  sinners  ?  And  as  to 
casting  over  life's  early  dawn  the  clouds  of  dis- 
appointment, or  abstracting  a  single  joy  from  their 
young  existence,  we  are  willing  to  compare  results 
with  any  more  plausible,  but  less  scriptural  system. 
All  we  aim  at  is,  the  true  and  permanent  happi- 
ness of  our  children ;  and  this,  we  think,  cannot 
be  attained,  until  sin  is  repented  of,  and  a  Saviour 
is  embraced.  We  aim  to  take  a  course,  in  respect 
to  them,  that  shall  not  fill  us  with  agony  and  self- 
reproach,  provided  we  are  called  to  commit  them 
to  an  early  tomb.  With  our  views  of  their  state 
and  condition  as  children  of  the  apostasy — views 
which  our  Bible  has  taught  us,  and  which  experi- 
ence has  confirmed — we  cannot  answer  it  to  our 


82      RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD 

consciences,  if  we  allow  them  to  live  and  die  in 
ignorance  of  their  relation  to  God  as  sinners. 

But  this  conviction  is  necessary,  moreover,  in 
order  to  their  perception  and  appreciation  of  the 
way  of  salvation.  Suppose  we  allow  them  to 
grow  up  in  self-complacent  views  of  their  own 
characters ;  keeping  out  of  sight  the  fact  that  they 
are  born  in  sin,  and  that,  judged  by  the  divine 
law,  they  are  under  condemnation ;  what  would 
probably  be  the  effect  ?  They  might,  perhaps,  by 
such  a  course,  be  enabled  to  enjoy  with  less  com- 
punction the  pleasui-es  of  sin ;  but  assuredly  they 
would  not  learn  its  turpitude,  nor  God's  displeas- 
ure against  it,  nor  God's  method  of  removing  it. 
They  would  not  be  likely  to  ask,  "  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved  ?  " 

Conviction  of  sin  is  indispensable  to  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  great  salvation.  The  reason  so 
many  misunderstand  Christ's  character  as  a  divine 
Saviour,  is  because  they  do  not  understand  and  real- 
ize their  own  character  as  lost  sinners.  Our  views 
of  Christ  will  be  greatly  modified  by  previous  con- 
victions of  sin,  according  as  such  convictions  are 
more  or  less  deep.  If  we  view  our  sins  only  as 
faults,  errors,  aberrations — as  in  the  soft  phraseol- 
ogy of  some  they  are  denominated — we  shall  not 


AS    SINNERS.  83 

need  a  very  thorough  cleansing,  nor  a  priceless 
blood  to  atone  for  them.  But  if,  in  our  convic- 
tions, they  are  ^  as  scarlet  and  as  crimson ' — if  we 
are  forced  to  exclaim,  "  Behold,  I  am  vile  ;  "  ^  my 
sins  are  as  an  heavy  burden,  too  heavy  for  me  ' — 
we  shall  then  see  no  hope  of  forgiveness  but  by  an 
atonement,  such  as  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh " 
alone  could  accomplish. 

Shall  we  not,  then,  place  our  children  under 
the  tutelage  of  that  law,  which  is  a  school-master 
to  lead  them  to  Christ  ?  If  we  wish  them  to  go 
to  him  for  life  and  salvation,  they  must  go  in  the 
only  way  which  is  pointed  out, — the  way  of  con- 
scious ill  desert,  the  strait  and  narrow  way  ;  hum- 
bling themselves  at  his  feet  on  account  of  their 
sins,  and  saying,  ^  Lord  Jesus,  save  us,  or  we 
perish.'  , 

Others  may  choose  a  diflerent  path ;  may  leave 
the  religious  training  of  their  children  to  the 
priesthood ;  or  may  instruct  them  simply  in  the 
beauty  of  virtue,  and  the  deformity  of  vice ;  but 
Protestant  and  Orthodox  Christians  are  bound,  by 
their  very  principles,  to  make  more  thorough 
work  ;  to  go  deeper  into  the  moral  wants  of  the 
soul ;  to  lay  open  the  disorder  of  the  heart ;  and 
to  hold  up  the  only  remedy,  which  is  repentance 
for  sin,  and  faith  m  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


84       RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD 

Those  who  do  not  admit  that  a  change  of  heart 
is  necessary,  will  not,  of  course,  seek  it  either  for 
themselves  or  for  their  children.  They  will  build 
only  on  the  foundation  which  nature  has  laid, 
will  aim  at  moral  restraints  and  external  accom- 
plishments ;  but  we,  who  think  that  men  are  born 
in  sin,  and  that,  to  be  saved,  must  be  born  again 
to  holiness,  will  employ  all  the  means  which  God 
has  appointed  to  secure  so  blessed  and  desirable 
an  end. 

CAN    CHILDREN    UNDERSTAND   THE   DOCTRINES? 

But  how,  methinks  I  hear  one  say,  can  children 
be  made  to  understand  these  teachings  ?  Why 
should  we  address  such  profound  truths  to  minds 
so  imperfectly  developed  ?  Can  these  little  ones 
comprehend  then-  relation  to  God  as  creatures  and 
as  sinners  ?  Why  not  postpone  these  lessons  until 
they  attain  to  greater  maturity  ? 

I  answer ;  children  can  and  do  understand 
these  truths.  They  have,  in  a  thousand  instances, 
given  evidence,  not  only  of  understanding  them, 
but  of  a  practical  and  saving  application  of  them. 
He  who  suggests  the  doubt  on  this  point,  forgets 
that  every  child  has  a  moral  nature  which  seeks 
this  very  ahment.     His  first  questions  are  about 


AS    SINNERS.  85 

God,  and  his  first  impressions  are  those  of  respon- 
sibility. He  forgets,  too,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  can 
enlighten  this  young  heart,  and  often  does;  so 
that  '  out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings 
God  perfects  his  praise.'  He  forgets,  does  he 
not,  how  many  die  in  childhood,  just  as  they  have 
entered  on  the  period  of  responsibility  ;  and  in 
the  last  struggles,  may  ask  for  light  and  for  guid- 
ance which,  through  inconsideration  or  unfaithful- 
ness, may  have  been  denied  them. 

These  are  considerations  which  influence  us  to 
an  early  training  of  the  soul  in  the  great  and 
fundamental  truths  of  the  Bible.  Believing,  as 
we  do,  that  these  truths  are  made  use  of  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  convict  and  to  sanctify  ;  and  hoping, 
as  we  may,  that  a  faithful  presentation  of  them, 
simplified  so  far  as  possible,  and  oft-repeated,  will 
be  attended  by  an  enlightening  and  saving  influ- 
ence ;  we  commence,  at  the  very  outset  of  their 
intelligent  existence,  to  sow  in  our  children's 
minds  this  incorruptible  seed.  Nor  are  Christian 
parents  discouraged  if,  at  first,  no  signs  of  spiritual 
germination  appear.  In  the  morning  they  are  to 
sow  the  seed,  and  in  the  evening  to  withhold  not 
their  hand.  Their  trust  is  in  the  covenant  faith- 
fulness of  Abraham's  God.  To  Him  having  dedi- 
cated then*  offspring,  for  Him  should  they  assidu- 


86  RELATION    OF    CHILDREN    TO   COD 

ously  train  them  up.  The  great  end  of  all  these 
inculcations  is,  their  conversion  to  God.  Its  reali- 
zation should  be  our  chief  desire  and  constant 
prayer,  and  its  indication  and  evidence  our  unwa- 
vering expectation. 

Is  it  sometimes  represented  that  we  expect  our 
children  to  grow  up  in  sin,  and  that  we  look  not 
for  their  conversion  until  adult  years  ?  What 
then  means  our  Sabbath  school  instruction,  our 
catechetical  teaching,  our  domestic  altai-,  our  fire- 
side readings,  our  maternal  associations  ?  Is  there, 
by  Christian  parents,  no  groaning  and  soul-travail- 
ing, in  secret  prayer,  for  the  conversion  of  their 
children  ?  Is  there  no  sohcitude,  no  earnest  long- 
ing for  the  tokens  of  spiritual  Hfe,  as  they  meet 
their  beloved  charge  at  the  family  altai',  or  watch 
their  expression  in  the  sanctuary  of  God  ? 

It  may  be  that  some  parents,  in  this  day  of 
delegated  responsibiHty,  leave  their  children  to  the 
care  of  others,  or  are  satisfied,  so  to  speak,  with 
their  chance  in  the  Sabbath  school ;  but  that 
parental  faithfulness,  and  prayer,  and  anxiety,  are 
withdrawn  by  truly  Christian  parents,  I  do  not, 
and  cannot  believe.  If  in  the  conscience  of  any, 
such  a  charge  shall  find  an  echo,  let  that  parent 
remember,  that  no  instruction  from  any  other 
quarter,  however  faithfully  inculcated,  can  release 


AS    SINNERS.  87 

him  from  the  obhgation  to  train  up  his  children 
himself,  and  not  by  proxy,  "  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord."  We  should  be  thank- 
ful for  the  vSabbath  school,  as  a  grand  and  efficient 
auxiliary  in  the  moral  and  religious  training  of 
our  youth.  In  every  way  possible  we  should 
encourage  the  faithful  teacher  in  his  toilsome  yet 
useful  work.  We  should  send  our  children  into 
his  hands  every  Sabbath  day,  with  the  evidence 
that  we  are  co-operating  with  him  in  the  culture 
of  the  soul ;  but  when  the  question  is,  where  lies 
the  primary  responsibihty  in  regard  to  the  child's 
Christian  education,  we  must  throw  it  back  on  the 
natural  guardian,  where  God  himself  has  lodged 
it.  No  parent  can  get  from  under  this  responsi- 
bility, and  no  Christian  parent  would  wish  to.  He 
would  have  his  children  bound  up  with  himself 
in  the  same  bundle  of  eternal  Hfe.  From  whatso- 
ever other  fields  of  usefulness  he  may  be  excluded, 
this,  he  is  sure,  is  put  under  his  immediate  cul- 
ture. Next  to  his  own  soul,  in  regard  to  respon- 
sibility, come  the  souls  of  his  children.  They 
bear  his  image ;  they  live  in  his  presence  ;  they 
catch  his  varying  expressions  ;  they  are  bone  of 
his  bone,  and  flesh  of  his  flesh.  So  intimate  is 
the  relation,  so  constant  the  influence,  direct  and 
indirect,  that  he  may  almost  be  said  to  develop  his 


88      RELATION  OF  CHILDREN  TO  GOD. 

own  character  through,  theirs.  What  they  believe, 
as  matters  of  faith  ;  what  they  feel  and  how  they 
conduct  themselves,  are  traceable,  in  most  instances, 
to  parental  example  and  influence.  It  is  true  that 
sometimes  an  infidel  parent  will  have  a  Christian 
child,  and  a  Christian  parent  an  infidel  child. 
These  are  exceptions  to  a  general  rule.  They 
mark  a  sovereignty  which  none  can  explain,  and 
at  which  none  should  cavil.  But  Avho  does  not 
see  and  know  that,  usually  and  uniformly,  the 
seed  sown  produces  a  corresponding  crop  ;  so  that 
we  may  say  of  parental  teaching,  in  its  bearings 
on  the  future  character  and  destiny  of  the  child, 
that  "  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also 
reap."  Let  this  responsibility  be  acknowledged. 
Let  us  act  under  a  sense  of  it,  praying  that 
wherein  we  lack  wisdom  to  meet  it,  and  to  fulfill 
the  duties  implied  in  it,  God  would,  according  to 
his  promise,  impart  such  wisdom,  and  thus  enable 
us  to  '  bring  up  our  children  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord.' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CHILDREN  LED  TO  CHRIST. 

A  sense  of  sin  prepares  for  this — the  family  a  type  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment— obedience  to  parents  one  fonn  of  obedience  to  God — these  duties 
interlaced — Fourierism — the  family  state  affords  the  occasion  for  illus- 
trating the  duties  we  owe  to  God — a  child's  first  idea  of  sin  and  retribu- 
tion here  obtained — scriptural  idea  of  forgiveness — the  mediatorial  idea 
developed  in  the  family — the  great  doctrine  of  the  atonement  shadowed 
forth — Christ  and  his  offices  pointed  out — Christ's  example  in  regard  to 
selfishness — Christ,  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness — easy  to  be 
inculcated — childhood  the  season  of  confidence — convictions  of  childhood 
— under  what  circumstances  developed — how  to  be  treated — the  new 
field  of  culture — the  power  of  parental  example — parental  counsels — a 
higher  type  of  piety  needed  as  the  millennium  draws  near. 

In  teaching  children  their  relation  to  God  as 
sinners,  implying  his  displeasure  and  theii'  con- 
demnation, we  are  bound,  in  close  connection,  to 
point  out  to  them  the  way  of  salvation  from  sin,  as 
it  is  revealed  in  the  Bible.  We  must  say  to  them, 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world  !  " 


THE  FAMILY  A  TYPE  OF  THE    DIVINE    GOVERNMENT. 

By  a  wise   and  benevolent  arrangement,   God 
has  established  the   family  government  as  a  minia- 

7 


90  CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

ture,  thougli  imperfect  resemblance  of  his  own. 
He  has  recognized  the  analogy  in  several  respects. 
He  styles  himself  the  Father  of  the  great  human 
family.  He  speaks  of  bringing  up  children,  ^  who 
had  rebelled  against  him.'  The  family  govern- 
ment is  included  in  the  more  comprehensive  gov- 
ernment of  God.  Its  moral  disciphne  must  be 
enforced  by  the  principles  which  are  given  to 
regulate  the  moral  conduct  of  the  more  extended 
family  of  mankind.  The  same  law  is  to  be  the 
standard  of  right  and  wrong,  forming  the  ground 
of  an  ultimate  appeal  to  the  moral  consciousness  of 
both  old  and  young.  In  this  inclusive  govern- 
ment, the  divine  and  the  parental,  we  are  furnished 
with  an  occasion  for  the  illustration  of  those  duties 
which  the  religion  of  the  Bible  enjoins.  Obedience 
to  the  parent  is  one  form  of  obedience  to  God. 
Disobedience  to  the  former,  commanding  what  is 
lawful  and  right,  is  actual  rebellion  against  the 
latter,  who  has  said,  "  Children,  obey  your  parents 
in  the  Lord,  for  this  is  right."  How  beautifully 
interlaced  are  these  twofold  moral  duties.  What 
mutual  support  do  they  afford  ;  and  how  necessary 
is  the  family  relation,  in  order  to  the  preservation 
of  morality  and  the  perpetuity  of  religion.  Yet 
are  there  men,  who,  with  sacrilegious  hands,  would 
uproot  even  "  this  only  bhss  of  paradise,  which 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  91 

has  survived  the  fall."  They  hate  and  would 
destroy  the  family  relation,  because  it  is  the  expo- 
nent of  God's  higher  government,  and  the  great 
buttress  of  rehgion  and  morality. 

This  relation  affords  occasion,  we  have  said,  for 
the  illustration  of  principles  and  duties  enjoined 
in  the  word  of  God.  For  example,  disobedience 
under  the  parental  government,  gives  the  first  idea 
of  sin.  The  young  transgressor,  ere  he  can  com- 
prehend his  relation  to  God,  knows  what  it  is  to* 
violate  the  law  of  the  household.  He  is  amenable; 
to  the  parental  tiibunal.  He  knows  that  under 
this  economy,  sin  and  punishment  are  conjoined.. 
Hence  his  first  impression  also  of  retribution.  He 
is  called  to  an  account,  and  when  convicted,  he 
must  suffer  some  sort  of  punishment.  But  how 
eagerly  does  the  affectionate  parent  look  for  the 
signs  of  repentance.  How  indispensable,  in  his 
view,  is  the  exercise  of  sincere  sorrow,  ere  there 
can  be  any  hope  of  a  permanent  good  conduct- 
Hence  it  is  a  point  of  no  small  importance,  to  show 
the  young  delinquent  what  true  repentance  is  ;  to> 
discriminate  between  that  sorrow  which  looks  more 
at  the  punishment  of  the  crime,  than  mourns  over 
its  turpitude ;  which  expresses  regret  at  its  penal 
consequences,  but  no  realizing  sense  of  the  wrong 
itself 


92  CHILDREN    LED   TO    CHRIST. 


SCRIPTURAL  IDEA  OF  FORGIVENESS. 

So  also  a  ready  and  indiscriminate  forgiveness, 
is  seen  to  weaken  if  not  actually  destroy  the  house- 
hold government.  There  must  be  penalties,  as 
well  as  laws.  "Where  there  is  crime,  there  must 
be  confession  and  sorrow ;  and,  ordinarily,  where 
there  is  violation  of  law,  there  should  be  punish- 
ment. 

The  family  government,  being  in  a  sense  a  sort 
of  exponent  of  the  divine  government,  it  is  not 
difficult  to  illustrate  to  the  mind  of  a  child  the  one 
by  the  other. 

The  family  government  admits,  occasionally,  of 
mediation  or  intercession.  One  member  taking 
pity  on  another,  who  is  a  temporaiy  outcast  from 
the  pale  of  domestic  approbation,  pleads  for  his 
forgiveness  and  restoration  ;  and  not  seldom  is  the 
delinquent,  by  means  of  this  intercessor,  and  upon 
expressing  his  repentance,  reinstated  in  the  favors 
and  enjoyments  of  the  household.  What  is  this, 
but  a  familiar  type  of  the  readiness  of  our  heav- 
enly Father  to  receive  the  penitent,  through  the 
intercessions  of  a  mediator,  duly  appointed  and 
properly  qualified  ?  The  parent,  by  the  very  rela- 
tion  which   he   sustains,   sees   how   important  is 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  93 

this  great  doctrine  of  atonement  and  intercession, 
whereby  sinners  may  be  reconciled  to  that  higher 
authority  which  has  been  set  at  naught.  Will  he 
hesitate,  then,  to  point  his  child  to  the  Lamb  of 
God,  who  alone  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world  ? 

There  is  not  a  more  delightful,  as  there  cer- 
tainly is  not  a  more  useful  employment,  than  to 
lead  the  young  mind  to  a  consideration  of  the 
work  and  the  offices  of  Christ.  It  is  not  merely 
his  example  that  we  may  use  for  the  benefit  of 
our  children,  in  stimulatmg  them  to  purity  and 
virtue,  but  "  his  obedience  unto  death,"  constitut- 
ing an  atonement  for  sin,  which  is  the  great  idea 
of  the  gospel,  we  may  put  before  them,  as  the 
strongest  incentive  to  repentance  and  faith. 

How  invaluable,  too,  in  a  world  given  to  self- 
seeking,  and  upon  hearts  which  are  by  nature 
heaits  of  stone,  is  the  influence  of  that  great 
revealed  fact,  that  "  Christ  pleased  not  himself ;  " 
that  he  came  on  an  errand  of  disinterested  love  ; 
that,  "though  he  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  he 
became  poor."  What  a  powerful  lesson  is  thus 
furnished  us  and  our  households  of  benevolence  ? 
— a  lesson  which  the  parent  may  recur  to  amid  the 
conflicts  of  selfishness,  too  often  waged  within  the 
family  circle.     But  the  death  of  Christ  voluntarily 


94  CHILDREN    LED   TO    CHRIST. 

endured  for  sin,  is  the  great  fact  of  tlie  New 
Testament,  as  it  was  the  foreshadowed  idea  of  the 
Old.  Herein  is  the  question  answered,  how  God 
can  be  just  in  pardoning  a  sinner.  Is  this  too  recon- 
dite, too  hard  for  a  childish  understanding  ?  What  is 
there  hard  about  it  ?  The  child  may  be  made  to 
understand  that  God  hates  sin,  and  that  the  sinner 
is  guilty,  and  is  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  ;  that 
all  that  he  can  do  cannot  take  away  his  sins,  nor 
atone  for  them ;  that  he  needs  one  who  is  in  the 
confidence  of  God,  to  stand  for  him  and  to  plead 
for  him,  and  that  such  a  mediator  is  found  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ; — all  this,  it  seems  to  me,  can 
be  made  intelligible  to  a  young  mind,  and  more 
easily,  sometimes,  than  to  one  of  adult  age. 

In  teaching  children  their  sinfulness,  and  in 
setting  before  them,  as  we  must,  the  law  of  God 
and  its  penalty,  how  naturally  and  how  readily, 
also,  shall  we  point  out  the  doctrine  here  disclosed, 
that  Christ  is  "the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world ; "  and  that  "  he  is 
also  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth."  This  is  one  form  of  "the 
admonition  of  the  Lord."  The  child  is  to  be 
admonished  of  its  sinfulness,  and  of  the  conse- 
quent necessity  of  repentance  towards  God,  and 
of  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     To  encourage 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  95 

the  Christian  parent  in  these  teachings,  he  is 
assured  that  the  Saviour  once  expressed  a  special 
interest  in  childi^en,  taking  them  in  his  arms,  and 
pronouncing  upon  them  his  benediction.  We 
should  not  doubt  the  capability  of  children  to 
exercise  faith  in  the  Son  of  God.  Childhood  is 
the  season  of  confidence.  The  ingenuous  mind 
has  not  yet  learned  to  cavil  at  well  attested  facts. 
Its  little  hand  is,  as  it  were,  extended  for  help. 
Was  there  ever  a  child  to  whose  mind,  first 
instructed  in  its  relations  to  God  as  a  sinner,  the 
presentation  of  Christ's  atonement  and  intercession 
did  not  come  with  affecting  interest  and  apphca- 
tion  ?  If  the  young  heart  shows  conviction  of 
sin,  as  we  know  it  often  does,  can  any  doubt  that 
it  may  exercise  faith,  as  we  hope  and  believe  it 
often  has  ? 

Where  is  the  Christian  parent  who  has  not,  at 
times,  discovered  in  the  heart  of  his  child  these 
early  indications  of  the  Spirit's  power !  A  mys- 
terious pressure  will  sometimes  be  found  upon  its 
soul.  It  will  come  to  the  parent's  knee  with  a 
serious  and  anxious  look.  This  altered  expression 
leads  the  parent  to  inquire  into  the  cause.  The 
reply  is,  '  Oh,  I  am  so  great  a  sinner.'  Is  this 
a  fact  of  very  uncommon  occurrence  ?  It  may 
take  place  when  no  special  act  of  disobedience  has 


96  CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

been  perpetrated.  The  feeling  lias  stolen  in  upon 
the  young  heart,  by  a  train  of  thought  which  none 
can  trace  but  the  omniscient  One  who  suggested  it. 
In  this  case,  we  are  to  recognize  the  Spirit  of  God, 
moving  by  times  upon  the  tender  conscience,  and 
thus  inviting  parental  co-operation  in  guiding  the 
soul  to  Jesus.  If  that  young  heart  can  thus  early 
feel  its  need  of  help,  showing  that  it  is  not  only 
susceptible  of  conviction,  but  is  really  and  truly 
convicted  of  sin,  why  may  not  faith  in  Christ  be 
exercised,  and  the  evidence  be  obtained  of  forgive- 
ness through  his  blood  ? 

Many  is  the  instance,  we  doubt  not,  where  this 
faith  has  been  exercised,  and  where  the  implanta- 
tion of  grace  was  coeval  almost  with  the  first 
buddings  of  the  mind.  How  many  beautiful 
examples  are  on  record  of  this  early  and  almost 
infantile  faith.  How  many  such  have  gone  to 
people  the  world  of  blessedness,  and  to  expand 
amid  the  more  congenial  atmosphere  of  heaven. 

SEASONS    OF   YOUTHFUL  CONVICTION,  HOW^  TREATED. 

Why  is  it  that  seasons  of  conviction  in  child- 
hood are  apt  to  be  transient,  to  be  so  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  an  apparent  indifference  ?  Are  not 
parents,    in   many   instances,    responsible    for   it  ? 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  97 

Alarmed  at  the  unusual  occurrence,  and  sympa- 
thizing with  the  distress  of  the  child,  they  seek  to 
counteract  and  expel  these  feelings.  They  reason 
them  away  as  inappropriate  or  absurd.  They  give 
the  child  to  understand  that  he  is  not  so  guilty, 
and  that  his  soul  is  not  in  so  much  danger  as  his 
fears  would  suggest ;  and  if  this  course  is  not 
successful,  they  continue,  by  some  new  or  exciting 
pleasures,  to  divert  him  from  the  painful  contem- 
plation. This  is  taking  a  fearful  responsibility. 
How  came  the  child  by  these  feelings  ?  They 
often  appear  without  any  apparent  cause.  There 
is  a  mystery  in  then'  coming,  if  not  in  their 
departui'e.  Who  can  doubt  that  they  are  of  God ; 
that  He,  whose  office  it  is  to  convince  of  sin,  is 
executing  that  office  on  the  young  and  susceptible 
heart  ?  What  a  fearful  responsibility,  then,  does 
that  parent  assume,  who  makes  a  deliberate  attempt 
to  counteract  the  strivings  of  the  Holy  Spirit ! 

What,  under  these  circumstances,  is  the  pa- 
rent's duty  ?  Why,  evidently,  to  co-operate  with 
the  apparent  design  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and 
when  the  child  comes  and  tells  the  parent,  with 
tearful  eyes  and  a  breaking  heart,  that  he  feels 
himself  a  sinner,  to  say  to  it,  ^  Yes,  my  child,  it 
is  true,  you  are  a  shiner,  and  God  is  convincing 
you  of  it ; '   and  then  to  show  the  child  wherein 


98  CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

he  has  sinned.  Let  the  parent  take  this  oppor- 
tunity to  explain  the  turpitude  of  sin,  its  viola- 
tions of  God's  law,  and  the  consequent  condemna- 
tion ;  for  the  Spii'it  will  now  help  the  child  to  see 
sin  in  its  true  light.  But  must  the  parent  stop 
here  ?  By  no  means.  This  very  sensibility  to 
sin,  which  is  now  felt  and  manifested,  prepares 
the  way  for  holding  up  the  Saviour,  as  "  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life."  The  parent  should  now 
say,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  It  seems  as  if  the 
Holy  Spirit,  by  these  early  convictions,  bids  us 
lead  the  soul  at  once  to  Jesus.  It  is  only  by  such 
a  course  that  we  can  fall  in  with  "  the  admonition 
of  the  Lord." 

This,  we  say,  is  a  grateful  task  to  a  truly  Chris- 
tian parent ;  and  oh,  what  joy  must  that  parent's 
heart  experience,  if,  by  his  prayers  and  his  teach- 
ings, this  young  inquirer  is  led  to  exercise  faith 
in  the  atoning  Lamb.  He  is  now,  in  a  twofold 
sense,  a  child.  This  new  or  second  birth,  links 
the  soul  of  the  child  and  of  the  parent  together 
forever. 

THE   NEW   FIELD    OF    CULTURE. 

But  these  incipient  and  early  convictions  may 
soon  disappear,  even  where  the   fostering  hand  of 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  99 

piety  is  at  work  to  cherish  them.  Still  should 
they  be  regarded  as  foreshadowings  of  covenant 
blessings,  and  their  recurrence  should  be  anxiously 
and  prayerfully  looked  for. 

But  should  these  convictions  result  in  the  hope- 
ful conversion  of  the  child, — as  many  times  we 
think  is  the  case, — then  has  the  parent  not  only  a 
new  theme  of  praise,  but  a  new  and  most  hopeful 
field  of  culture.  The  child  is  now  to  receive  its 
type  of  Christian  character,  in  a  great  measure, 
from  the  formative  influence  of  the  parent.  Here 
is  a  new  phase  of  responsibility.  Religion,  in  that 
child's  heart,  is  a  precious  and  incorruptible  seed 
in  a  soil  not  the  most  congenial.  That  soil  is  to 
be  enriched,  and  that  seed  to  be  nurtured,  so  that 
what  is  now  but  a  blade,  scarcely  visible,  may 
grow  into  a  stalk,  and  then  into  the  full  ear ;  and 
at  length  be  gathered,  like  a  shock  of  corn,  fully 
ripe  into  the  heavenly  garner.  The  parent  is  the 
natural  and  responsible  cultivator  of  this  plant  of 
righteousness.  His  example  is  to  act  constantly 
on  the  developing  character.  His  Spuit  is  to  be 
breathed  into  the  unfolding  emotions.  If  the 
child  regards  him  in  the  twofold  light  of  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  parent,  he  will  feel  as  much  bound  to 
imitate  him  in  the  one  character  as  he  does  to 
obey  him  in  the   other  ?     What  the   parent  does 


100  CHILDREN    LED   TO    CHRIST. 

and  says  ;  the  principles  he  professes  ;  the  spkit 
he  shows,  being  ever  under  the  eye  of  the  observ- 
ing child,  must  necessarily,  one  would  think, 
impress  upon  him  a  certain  type  of  character. 
And  such  is  generally  the  case.  Here  is  a  motive 
for  a  parent  to  cultivate  his  own  spirit,  in  order 
to  influence  that  of  his  child.  The  unconscious 
influence  is  as  constant,  if  not  as  great,  as  the 
direct  influence.  The  direct  influence  respects  the 
counsels  and  teachings  w^hich  the  Chiistian  parent 
gives,  with  a  view  of  forming  the  Chiistian  char- 
acter of  his  child.  And  here  I  know  of  but  one 
standard,  one  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  ever 
accessible  and  always  obligatory.  His  child's 
Chi'istian  character  is  to  be  formed  and  fostered 
according  to  the  precepts  and  the  spirit  of  the 
Bible.  We  assume  that  he  is  in  a  state  of  grace  ; 
that  a  genuine  conversion  has  taken  place ;  and 
the  development  of  Christian  character  is  to  go  on, 
under  the  eye  and  by  the  influence  of  the  parent. 
Affection  for  the  child  unites  wdth  a  sense  of 
responsibility  to  God,  to  impel  a  conscientious 
Christian  parent  to  do  everything  in  his  power  to 
train  this  child  for  usefulness  and  for  heaven. 

PARENTAL    EXAMPLE. 

Parental  example  is  of  the  first  consideration. 
It  is  the  atmosphere  in  which  the  child  Hves.     If 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  101 

it  is  pure  and  wholesome,  he  will  thrive ;  but  if  it 
is  noxious,  he  will  be  sickly  or  dwarfish.  If,  in 
the  parent,  religion  is  seen  to  be  a  mere  matter 
of  form,  a  mere  Sabbath  day  service,  whilst  the 
whole  tenor  of  things  through  the  week  is  that  of 
the  world,  the  child  may  at  first  wonder  at  the 
inconsistency ;  but  will  be  likely,  ere  long,  to  settle 
down  to  the  same  tone  of  lifeless  formality.  If  a 
parent  may  profess  religion  and  still  be  gay  ;  a 
devotee  of  fashion,  or  a  lover  of  pleasure  ;  why 
should  we  expect  any  thing  better  in  the  child  ? 

A  youth  just  springing  into  manhood,  becomes 
pious.  He  is  at  first  very  zealous,  ready  to  meet 
every  cross,  to  brave  the  opposition  of  the  world, 
and  thus  prove  a  true  disciple  of  the  self-denying 
Jesus.  But  it  may  so  happen  that  the  father  of 
this  youth,  being  also  a  professed  disciple  of  the 
Saviour,  sympathizes  not  with  these  noble  aspira- 
tions. His  heart  has  grown  cold  in  the  service  of 
the  world.  He  ventures  to  intimate  that  his  son 
is  righteous  over-much  ;  that  there  is  no  need  of 
all  this  zeal ;  and  that  religion  may  be  attended  to 
in  its  proper  place.  Conformably  to  this  counsel, 
the  father  himself  exliibits  no  particular  interest  in 
the  promotion  of  piety  within  the  sphere  of  his 
influence.  Is  it  possible,  with  such  an  example, 
that  the  son,   however   promising  may  be  his  con- 


102  CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

version,  will  reach  a  high,  and  scriptural  standard 
of  piety  ?  It  is  barely  possible.  God  will  some- 
times carry  forward  his  own  work,  in  despite  of 
obstructions.  But  how  much  oftener  will  this 
cold  and  chilling  atmosphere  freeze  up  the  foun- 
tains of  youthful  piety,  and  cast  a  dark  shadow 
over  all  the  future  prospects  of  the  young  convert ! 
Who  is  to  blame,  if  this  youthful  Christian  loses 
his  zeal,  because  in  his  own  endeared  circle  he 
finds  no  co-operation  ?  or  who  is  responsible,  if,  in 
a  few  years,  he  is  seen  doing  homage  to  mammon, 
with  a  zeal  as  ardent  as  that  which  he  once  ex- 
pressed in  the  service  of  God  ? 

PARENTAL    COUNSELS. 

If  the  example  be  not  what  it  should  be,  then 
can  we  not  expect  that  Christian  duty  will  be 
either  frequently  or  faithfully  inculcated.  Parental 
counsels  will  have  more  respect  to  success  in  the 
world,  or  acceptableness  among  men,  than  to  the 
formation  of  a  character  accordant  with  Scripture 
inculcations  and  the  example  of  Christ. 

But  we  hope  better  tilings  of  Christian  fathers 
and  mothers,  whose  prayers  and  anxieties  have 
been  expressed  in  tears  and  in  entreaties  for  the  con- 
version of  their  children.     It  will  be  theh  aim,  I 


CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST.  103 

trust,  so  soon  as  they  discover  the  evidences  of 
conversion,  to  spare  no  pains  and  withhold  no  in- 
fluence which,  under  God,  may  lead  the  cliild  on 
from  first  principles  to  perfection.  I  use  the  word 
perfection,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  Apostle 
used  it,  as  marking  an  increase  of  knowledge,  and 
a  growth  in  grace,  which  characterize  the  maturity 
of  Christian  character.  Piety  is  but  a  seminal 
principle  that  is  to  be  cultivated,  under  influences 
that  are  evangelical,  and  by  efforts  both  pastoral 
and  parental.  The  minister  should  do  his  part, 
and  the  parent  and  Sabbath  school  teacher  theirs. 
The  aim  of  all  should  be  to  do  what  in  them  hes, 
to  lay  a  scriptural  basis  for  a  growing  and  influen- 
tial piety.  As  we  advance  towards  the  millennial 
age,  personal  religion  should  take  a  type  appropri- 
ate to  so  glorious  an  era  ;  the  hope  and  the  har- 
binger of  its  approach.  How  can  we  expect  to 
see  such  a  bright  day  overspreading  our  earth, 
without  seeing,  as  its  sure  prognostic,  a  higher 
and  a  holier  aim,  a  purer  example,  and  a  more  un- 
reserved consecration ! 

It  is  often  said  that  the  rising  generation  are  the 
hope  of  the  country  ;  and  on  this  ground  the  com- 
munity are  taxed  to  educate  them,  and  parents 
are  urged  to  elevate  and  improve  their  characters 
in  all  the  requisites  for  public  usefulness.     But  if 


104  CHILDREN    LED    TO    CHRIST. 

they  are  the  hope  of  the  country,  are  they  not  also 
the  hope  of  the  church  ?  And  if  their  preparation 
for  secular  life  is  so  important,  how  much  more 
important  is  it  to  prepare  them  to  uphold  the  insti- 
tutions of  religion,  and  to  aid  in  bringing  on  the 
triumphs  of  redemption !  Happily  the  claims  of 
the  state,  though  secondary  in  importance,  are  not 
antagonistical,  in  their  nature,  to  those  of  the 
church;  for  he  who  is  prepared  to  serve  his  God, 
is  prepared  to  serve  his  generation ;  and  the 
highest  style  of  patriotism  is  to  be  found  in  that 
breast  where  dwell  the  true  principles  of  gospel 
piety. 

I  close  by  saying  to  all  who  stand  in  the  relation 
of  parents,  and  especially  to  such  as  have  conse- 
crated their  children  to  God,  you  are,  as  a  first  con- 
sideration, to  expect  and  pray  for  their  regenera- 
tion and  conversion.  You  are  authorized  and  en- 
couraged to  do  so. 

If  it  shall  have  pleased  God  to  have  answered 
your  prayers,  and  to  have  blessed  your  instructions 
so  that  you  have  the  evidence  that  your  children 
are  within  the  fold  of  Christ,  then,  as  the  next  im- 
portant consideration,  I  entreat  you,  by  a  holy 
example,  and  a  faithful  inculcation  of  Christian 
duty  as  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures,  to  lead  them 
forwai'd   in   the   path   that  grows  "brighter  and 


CHILDREN   LED   TO   CHRIST.  105 

brighter."  Be  it  yours  to  illustrate  the  beautiful 
language  of  the  poet,  which  he  applies  to  the 
faithful  pastor  in  relation  to  his  flock,  but  which  is 
equally  applicable  to  you  in  relation  to  your  con- 
verted children : — 

"  But  in  his  duty  prompt,  at  every  call, 
He  watched,  and  wept ;  he  prayed,  and  felt  for  all. 
And  as  a  bird  each  fond  endearment  tries. 
To  tempt  its  new-fledged  offspring  to  the  skies, 
He  tried  each  art,  reproved  each  dull  delay. 
Allured  to  brighter  worlds,  and  led  the  way." 


CHAPTEU  VII. 

THE  ABRAHAMIC  COVENANT. 

Abraham's  position  as  he  stood  related  to  succeeding  believers — commend- 
atory notices  of  the  patriarch — his  faithfulness  in  the  reUgious  training 
of  his  children  and  household — faithful,  anterior  to  the  covenant — the 
latter  both  strengthening  and  encouraging  him — in  like  manner,  is  the 
operation  of  the  covenant  now — divine  wisdom  and  goodness  to  be  recog- 
nized in  the  covenant — external  services  imply  the  weakness  of  our 
nature,  and  are  helpful — the  external  formality  not  religion,  only  an  aid 
to  it — error  of  the  papists — Quakers  on  the  other  extreme — stipulations 
of  the  Abrahamic  covenant — perfecting  of  this  covenant — whom  it  em- 
braced— the  seal  of  the  covenant — its  recognition  in  baptism — no  new 
edict  requir'fed  in  regard  to  children's  membership  of  the  church — no 
abridgment  of  their  privileges  under  the  new  dispensation — reasoning 
of  the  Apostles  on  this  point — the  covenant  had  in  view  mainly  spiritual 
privileges — bearings  of  the  covenant  on  the  increase  of  the  church — sad 
and  criminal  neglect  of  Christian  parents — exhortation  to  the  discharge 
of  duties  connected  with  this  covenant. 

The  character  of  Abraham  is  equally  interest- 
ing to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles.  He  is,  in  truth,  the 
father  of  us  all.  All  true  behevers  are  the  seed 
of  Abraham.  By  virtue  of  their  union  with 
Christ — ^who  is  the  promised  seed — they  lose  their 
distinctive  or  national  character,  and  become  one 
spiritual  community,  one  associated  fraternity,  pro- 
fessing the  same  hopes,  and  claiming  equal  priv- 
ileges ;    whether   formerly   they   were    '  Jews   or 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    CO^^ENANT.  107 

Gentiles,  Barbarians,  Scythians,  bond  or  free.'  At 
the  head  of  this  fraternity  stands  the  patriarch 
Abraham,  holding  manifestly  a  peculiar  relation  to 
all  succeeding  believers.  He  is  called  in  the 
Scriptures,  "  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe." 
This  imphes,  not  only  that  his  faith  was  pre- 
eminent, but  that  he  was  constituted  a  sort  of 
model  character  and  federative  head,  in  the  long 
line  of  believers. 

Among  other  commendatory  notices  of  this  ven- 
erable man,  one  of  the  most  important  and  inter- 
esting is,  his  faithfulness  in  the  religious  training 
of  his  household.  "For  I  know  him,  that  he 
will  command  his  children  and  his  household  after 
him  ;  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to 
do  justice  and  judgment."  We  may  suppose  that 
Abraham  had  such  a  sense  of  the  importance  of 
this  duty,  that,  prior  to  all  stipulations  or  covenant 
engagements,  he  would  have  felt  himself  bound  to 
discharge  it  towards  his  household.  Understand- 
ing, as  he  must  have  done,  the  connection  between 
rehgious  instruction  and  the  salvation  of  the  soul, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that,  prior  to  all  special 
revelations  and  injunctions,  his  household  were 
trained  up  in  the  principles  of  the  true  religion. 
He  seems  to  have  had  a  great  abhorrence  of  idol- 
atry.    For  this  reason,  as  well  as  by  the  command 


108  THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT. 

of  God,  lie  became  a  voluntary  exile  in  a  strange 
land.  His  household  was  a  Httle  moving  colony ; 
himself,  in  the  character  of  a  priest,  at  the  head 
of  it.  Whilst  all  around  him  there  was  darkness, 
in  his  little  community  there  was  light.  Whilst 
every  where  rose  the  hideous  emblems  of  idol- 
worship,  he  built  along  the  stages  of  his  pilgrim- 
age the  simple  altar  of  stones,  and  laid  upon  it  the 
appointed  sacrifice.  His  household  was,  in  fact, 
the  depository  of  the  true  religion. 

But  what  was  done  by  the  patriarch  in  the  relig- 
ious ti'aining  of  his  family,  thi'ough  the  ordinary 
solicitude  of  a  pious  heart,  received  a  new  impulse 
after  God  was  pleased  to  enter  into  covenant  with 
him — to  give  him,  by  promise  and  by  mhacle,  a 
son  in  his  old  age,  and  to  constitute  him  a  sort  of 
head  or  prototype  of  succeeding  believers.  The 
Bible  recognizes  a  connection  between  the  faithful 
training  of  his  household  in  the  divine  precepts, 
and  the  fulfillment  of  those  promises  which  were 
embraced  in  the  covenant.  "  That  the  Lord  may 
bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  he  hath  spoken 
of  him." 

We  may  argue,  in  like  manner,  that  whilst  a 
pious  parent  might  feel  a  natural  prompting  to 
attend  to  the  spiritual  training  of  his  children, 
and,  irrespective  of   covenant    obligations,   might 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  109 

do  something  in  this  way ;  yet,  where  a  covenant 
obligation  is  superadded,  there  is  still  an  augmented 
motive  to  faithfulness ;  so  that  the  discharge  of 
duties,  which  pious  solicitude  suggests,  would  be 
rendered  more  imperative  by  the  pressure  of  cov- 
enant obligations.  Thus  would  it  be  more  certain 
that  he  would  train  up  his  childi-en  to  fear  God, 
and  to  keep  his  commandments.  And  as  in  the 
case  of  Abraham,  the  promises  and  provisions  of 
the  covenant  were  connected  with  faithfulness  in 
this  duty ;  so  also  with  us,  there  is  every  reason 
to  believe  that  our  offspring  will,  through  our 
prayers  and  teachings,  if  fervently  offered  and 
truthfully  inculcated,  become  not  only  nominally, 
but  really  partakers  of  the  grace  of  God. 

This  is  an  important  train  of  thought,  and  de- 
serves some  further  consideration. 

Many  who  think  lightly  of  the  baptismal  cove- 
nant, are  accustomed  to  argue,  that,  without  any 
public  vows  or  stipulations,  the  pious  parent  has 
motive  enough  to  educate  his  child  for  God ;  that 
no  such  vows,  or  professions,  or  consecrations  can 
give  security  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  a  duty 
which  parental  interest  and  consistent  piety  will 
ordinarily  fulfill.  But  whilst  we  concede  to  this 
statement  some  degree  of  plausibility,  we  must  be 
allowed  to  say,  that,  owing  to  a  weakness  inherent 


110  THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT. 

in  human  natui'e,  God  lias  been  pleased  to  add  to 
instinctive  love,  the  additional  force  of  covenant 
obligations;  and  thankfully  should  we  acknowl- 
edge this  auxiliary  power  in  prompting  us  to  the 
discharge  of  oiu'  duty.  We  should  recognize  a 
divine  wisdom,  in  calhng  us  out,  under  the  solemn 
sanctions  of  a  covenant,  to  stipulate  before  God, 
angels,  and  men,  that  we  will  put  forth  all  our 
influence,  in  the  way  of  example  and  prayer  and 
scriptural  teachings,  to  secure  the  salvation  of  our 
cliildren.* 

Every  thing  external,  in  religion,  imphes  the 
weakness  of  our  nature.  So  does  every  pubHc 
profession,  vow,  or  consecration.  The  Jew,  who 
obeyed  God  in  the  observance  of  an  external  and 
prescribed  ritual,  if  he  were  a  true  IsraeHte,  made 
not  that  observance  the  essential  part  of  his  relig- 
ion. It  was  only  a  mere  form,  or  outward  sign  of 
it.  His  rehgion  was  of  the  heart.  But  who  can 
say  that  the  outward  sign  was  of  no  use  ?     Did  it 

*  In  the  Presbyterian  churches,  which  are  in  close  fellow- 
ship with  our  own,  it  is  usual,  when  the  child  is  presented  for 
baptism,  for  the  parent  or  parents  to  enter  into  covenant — 
promising  to  train  up  the  child  in  the  fear  of  God — to  set 
before  it  a  Christian  example — to  teach  it  the  word  of  God — 
to  pray  -with  and  for  it— to  teach  it  to  pray  ;  and  thus  to 
bring  it  up  in  "the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord," — 
an  example  which  we  would  do  well  to  follow. 


THE   ABRAHAMIC    CO\^NANT.  Ill 

not  help  to  bind  his  thoughts  to  the  Great  Being 
whom  he  worshiped  ?  So  when  he  fixed  upon 
his  child  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  or  carried  it  up 
with  appropriate  sacrifices  to  the  temple,  and  made 
the  consecration  of  it  to  God  according  to  the  law ; 
he  did  not,  by  these  overt  acts,  acquire  obligations, 
but  simply  recognized  them  as  akeady  existing, 
and  impressed  them  indelibly  on  his  heart.  He 
was  bound,  before  these  acts,  to  educate  his  child 
for  the  service  of  Jehovah;  but  will  any  one,, 
at  all  acquainted  with  human  nature,  deny  that 
after  these  acts  of  public  and  solemn  consecration, 
he  realized  more  fully  his  obligations  so  to  do  ? 

Most  fully  do  I  believe  that  Abraham  would 
have  trained  his  household  in  religion,  if  God  had 
not  entered  into  formal  covenant  with  him ;  one 
provision  of  which  covenant  related  to  this  very 
duty.  But  even  in  his  case,  eminent  as  he  was  in 
faith,  I  am  persuaded  that  the  solemn  transaction 
referred  to,  was  another  ligature  around  his  soul 
to  bind  him  to  the  certain  and  faithful  discharge 
of  this  duty. 

I  should  consider  myself  as  impugning  the 
divine  wisdom,  to  think  lightly  of  a  prescribed 
covenant,  which  had  a  relation  to  the  performance 
of  our  duty,  whether  parental  or  personal.  I  do 
not  contend  that  the  external  fomiality  is  itself 


112  THE   ABBAHAlNnC    CO-TENANT. 

religion  ;  and  I  am  aware  that  some,  who  differ 
firom  me  in  regard  to  the  covenant  under  con- 
sideration, might  take  advantage  of  these  remarks 
to  say,  that  I  was  looking  strongly  in  favor  of 
papal  or  puseyistic  ceremonies.  Not  so.  There 
are  extremes.  The  papists  are  on  one  extreme, 
and  the  Society  of  Friends,  commonly  known  as 
Quakers,  on  the  other.  The  papist  runs  into  a 
religion  of  forms.  Here  is  his  error.  The  Quaker, 
by  ignoring  forms  altogether,  reducing  worship  to 
a  mere  contemplative  exercise,  loses  the  stay  and 
support  which  scriptui'ally  enjoined  forms  would 
administer.  Between  these  extremes,  there  hes  a 
scriptural  rule  which  we  would  do  well  to  keep 
in  view. 

It  is  for  this  reason  I  should  prefer,  independ- 
ent of  a  belief  in  their  divine  appointment,  the 
scriptural  symbols  and  expressions  of  piety,  to  the 
very  abstract  and  mere  mental  religion  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  to 
question  their  piety,  but  simply  to  state  a  prefer- 
ence, in  my  own  case,  and  founded  on  my  knowl- 
edge of  human  nature,  for  the  outwai'd  symbols 
of  religion  as  auxiliary  to  the  increase  of  its 
power. 

It  were  easy  to  show  that  piety  may  exist,  and 
many  of  its  obligations  be  discharged,  without  all 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    COA^NANT.  113 

the  formality  of  a  chiu'ch  organization,  without 
the  sacraments,  the  pubhc  vows,  the  solemn 
pledges,  and  the  reciprocal  covenant  among  its 
members ;  but  a  Wisdom  that  is  infinite  has 
arranged  all  this,  and  required  all  this  ;  and  a 
moment's  reflection  will  convince  any  man,  that 
if  religion,  without  the  circumstances  enumerated, 
could  exist,  it  would  not  be  very  likely  to  flourish 
or  to  extend  itself. 

The  same  principles  apply  to  the  obligation  of 
training  up  our  children  for  the  service  of  God. 
These  obligations  exist,  we  admit,  anterior  to,  and 
even  independent  of,  our  covenant  vows ;  but 
these  vows  and  this  recognition  of  the  covenant, 
are  all  important  in  giving  distinctness  and  im- 
pressiveness  to  the  parental  duty,  adding  another 
motive,  binding  ai'ound  the  soul  another  cord ;  that 
the  obhgation  may  press  more  constantly  and 
heavily  upon  us. 

The  entire  ceremonial  of  ancient  Israel  was 
framed  on  this  principle.  And  when  seen  in  this 
light,  how  foolish  and  absurd  are  the  objections 
which  infidels  have  made  to  it  on  the  score  of 
puerility  or  cruelty. 

The  same  is  true  in  relation  to  the  covenant 
entered  into  with  Abraham  and  his  seed.  The 
stipulations,  were  faithfulness  on  his  part,  and  the 


114  THE   ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT. 

fulfillment  of  the  promises  on  the  part  of  Jehovah. 
Harmless  is  the  skeptic's  sneer,  that  all  this  is 
unworthy  of  God,  or  that  it  looks  too  much  like 
a  bargain  or  contract.  We  must  consider  that 
God  had  in  view  the  redemption  of  his  people, 
and,  therefore,  it  is  not  unworthy  of  him  thus  to 
condescend  to  their  weaknesses. 

The  covenant  which  God  made  with  Abraham 
was  to  remain  in  force,  not  for  one  generation 
alone,  but  forever ;  and  is,  therefore,  very  prop- 
erly called  "  an  everlasting  covenant."  A  sub- 
sidiary design  it  had,  in  saving  the  posterity  of 
Abraham  from  being  mingled  with  and  lost  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  Its  higher  end,  and  its 
more  enlarged  provisions,  had  respect  to  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  .  and  the  gathering  of  all  true 
believers  into  him  as  the  spiritual  seed.  Though 
made  originally  with  Abraham,  it  was  not  con- 
fined to  him,  nor  to  his  descendants  according  to 
the  flesh,  but  is  the  property  of  the  whole  chui'ch, 
so  long  as  a  church  shall  exist  on  earth. 

Abraham,  it  appears,  was  pre-eminent  in  faith. 
Still  it  seemed  good,  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  bind 
this  man,  holy  as  he  was,  and  full  of  faith  as  he 
was,  by  special  covenant  obligations,  to  fulfill  a 
certain  duty  towards  his  household,  viz.,  to  train 
them  up  in  the  fear  and  the  service  of  God. 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  115 


SEAL    OF    THE    COVENANT. 

This  covenant,  instituted  in  the  family  of  the 
patriarch,  had  a  formal  and  divinely  appointed 
seal  attached  to  it ;  and  all  the  descendants  of 
Abraham  were  requhed  to  recognize  the  covenant, 
by  affixing  to  their  male  offspring  the  seal,  and 
training  them  according  to  the  divine  precepts. 

That  this  arrangement  had  a  powerful  influence 
in  promoting  family  religion,  none  I  presume  will 
deny  ;  and  if  this,  or  something  analogous  to  this, 
be  not  continued  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation, we  shall  have  lost  a  great  deal  in  one 
respect,  whatever  we  may  have  gained  in  others. 

If  the  motive  now  to  educate  our  children  for 
God  be  only  such  as  natui-e  prompts,  or  the  ordi- 
nary solicitude  of  piety  would  suggest ;  if  the 
covenant  is  gone,  and  with  it  all  symbols,  rites, 
and  provisions  are  swept  away,  I  again  declare, 
we  have  lost  a  great  deal. 

If  nothing  tantamount,  in  sign  or  significancy, 
be  given  to  us  under  the  new  dispensation,  we 
might  also  hazard  the  opinion,  that  we  have  lost 
an  important  auxihary  to  piety ;  and  that  our 
children  have  even  less  security  now  than  un- 
der a  darker   and   more   imperfect   dispensation. 


116  THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT. 

that  they  will  be  trained  up  for  God  and  for 
heaven. 

But  I  am  not  concerned  for  the  honor  of  the 
New  Testament  dispensation  in  this  respect.  I 
am  happy  in  the  belief,  that  at  least  no  abridgment 
of  our  privileges,  no  lessening  of  our  obligations, 
marked  its  introduction.  I  see  nothing  that  looks 
like  exonerating  parents  from  the  duty,  the  sacred 
duty  they  owe  to  their  offspring ;  nothing  that 
looks  like  a  command  to  leave  our  children  in  the 
outer  court,  and  without  the  sign  of  the  covenant. 
No  repulsive  edict  is  found,  whereby  they  are 
driven  from  the  pale  of  the  visible  church.  ^  On  the 
contrary,  I  find  them  spoken  of,  by  high  authority, 
as  belonging  to  the  "  kingdom  of  heaven ; "  a 
phrase  not  always  used  to  represent  future  bless- 
edness, but  sometimes,  as  in  this  instance,  indi- 
cating, as  I  think,  the  church  visible  on  earth. 

It  was  a  principle  too  well  established,  to  re- 
quire a  new  and  distinct  edict  from  our  Lord, 
that,  under  the  new  dispensation,  children  should 
share,  as  they  always  had  done,  in  the  sign  and 
privileges  of  the  covenant.  Hence  we  are  to 
account,  on  the  one  hand,  for  the  absence  of  such 
a  specific  enactment,  and,  on  the  other,  for  the 
practice  of  the  Apostles  in  relation  to  household 
baptisms ;   that  no  abridgment,  in  this  respect,  was 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  117 

to  take  place,  was  taken  for  granted.  So  that, 
instead  of  losing  our  privileges  as  parents,  under 
tlie  new  dispensation,  or  finding  tliem  abridged, 
we  have  them  reproduced  in  a  milder  form,  and 
with  more  merciful  associations. 

The  parent  now  can  feel,  and,  if  a  true  child 
of  Abraham,  will  feel,  the  duty  of  training  his 
offspring  for  God  ;  not  only  from  the  promptings 
of  love  and  piety,  but  also  that  he  is  allowed  to 
add  the  force  of  vows  and  promises  made  under 
the  Abrahamic  covenant.  That  covenant  stands 
unshaken  as  the  everlasting  hills.  The  abrogation 
of  the  Jewish  ceremonial  touched  it  not.  It  fell 
not  with  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  that  dispen- 
sation. It  was  of  older  date,  and  was  to  be  of 
longer  continuance.  It  is  this  covenant,  now  in 
as  full  force  as  ever,  changed  in  nothing  but  the 
outward  sign  or  seal ;  it  is  this  "  everlasting 
covenant,"  under  which  we  are  permitted  to  con- 
secrate by  baptism  our  children,  in  view  of  the 
promises  which  were  made  first  to  Abraham,  and 
successively  to  all  his  spiritual  posterity. 

So  reasoned  one  who  thoroughly  understood 
the  subject.  "  Now  to  Abraham,  and  his  seed, 
were  the  promises  made  ; — and  if  ye  be  Christ's, 
then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according 
to  the  promise." 


118  THE   ABRAHAMIC   CO^^ENANT. 

Every  true  Christian,  then,  is  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  and  inherits,  of  course,  all  the  promises 
made  to  Abraham.  In  this  respect,  his  privileges 
and  Abraham's  are  equal  and  parallel.  The  cove- 
nant covers  them  both.  There  is  no  abridgment ; 
no  spiritual  benefit  which  accrued  to  him,  which 
does  not  accrue  equally  to  them.  It  is  cleai',  then, 
that  we  must  enjoy  the  privilege  of  putting  the 
seal  of  the  covenant  upon  our  offspring,  as  he  did 
upon  his. 

It  is  in  vain  to  neutralize  this  argument,  by 
referring  to  temporal  pledges,  which  were  included 
in  or  connected  with  this  Abrahamic  covenant. 
The  Apostles  took  care  to  prevent  such  an  infer- 
ence. Peter  said,  on  the  day  of  pentecost,  "The 
promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  children,"  refer- 
ring to  the  promises  of  this  very  covenant,  which 
declaration,  of  course,  could  have  had  no  sort  of 
reference  to  an  earthly  inheritance.  It  respected 
what  was  infinitely  better. 

THE   BEARINGS    OF   THIS    COVENANT    ON    THE 
INCREASE    OF    THE    CHURCH. 

As  formerly,  so  now,  God  will  perpetuate  his 
church  under  this  very  covenant,  and  in  the  faith- 
ful   discharge    of  its   implied    obligations.     If  a 


THE   ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  119 

parent  wishes  to  feel  his  responsibihty,  let  him 
recognize  this  covenant,  assume  the  vows  of  faith- 
fulness to  his  offspring,  and  promise  and  bind  him- 
self, under  its  sanction,  to  educate  them  for  the  better 
world.  This  is  the  way  to  augment  the  power  of 
principle,  and  to  lay  upon  the  parental  heart  a 
new  and  holy  pressure  to  the  discharge  of  duty. 

There  is  a  sad  and  crimmal  neglect  on  this 
point ;  and  if  it  goes  on  and  increases.  Christians 
will  be  made  sooner  or  later  to  deplore  it.  There 
is  a  tendency  in  some  churches,  even  where  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  is  recognized,  to  think  lightly 
of  its  privileges  ;  to  neglect  them ;  to  leave  the 
young  heritage  of  God  among  the  aliens ;  to  with- 
hold from  Jehovah  his  due  ;  and  thus  to  weaken  the 
force  of  family  discipline  and  the  motives  to  family 
religion.  It  is  time  this  reproach  was  rolled  off 
from  the  church  of  God.  Of  them  who  con- 
scientiously reject  the  obligations  of  infant  conse- 
cration, under  this  covenant,  we  have  nothing  to 
say,  except  that  we  deem  them  to  have  lost  a  very 
precious  and  powerfid  motive  to  parental  faithful- 
ness and  household  training ;  but  we  do  think 
that  there  lies  a  terrible  responsibility  at  the  door 
of  that  parent,  who  admits  that  all  Christians  are 
Abraham's  seed,  and  are  bound  to  *^walk  in  the 
steps    of   faithful   Abraham ; "    who  admits   this. 


120  THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT. 

and  yet  refuses  to  give  up  liis  children  in  the 
same  covenant  relation,  and  to  affix  upon  them 
the  modified,  though  equally  significant  seal. 

But  when  these  vows  have  been  taken,  how 
have  they  been  fulfilled  ?  Have  you,  Christian 
parent,  commanded  your  children,  "  that  they  keep 
the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judg- 
ment ? "  Can  the  high  commendatory  notice  of 
Abraham  be  transferred  over  to  yourself?  Can 
you  say,  that  the  training  of  your  children  for 
God's  service  has  had  more  constant  and  com- 
manding influence  over  you  than  all  their  tem- 
poral interests?  Has  the  prayer  of  faith  been 
poui'ed  over  them ;  the  force  of  discipline  been 
exerted,  and  the  power  of  affectionate  persuasion 
been  tried  ?  Have  you  led  them,  by  your  own 
example,  into  right  paths  ?  Have  you  constantly 
looked  upon  them  as  '  God's  heritage  ? '  Have 
youL  remembered  the  covenant,  and  pleaded  in 
their  behalf  its  gracious  promises  and  provisions? 

If  there  is  any  thing  which  comes  home  to  the 
parental  bosom,  it  is  questioning  like  this  !  Allied 
by  blood  to  the  dear  ones — held  responsible  for 
their  training — ^linowmg  that  what  he  does  and 
says,  every  hour  of  their  juvenile  existence,  is 
shaping  theh  destiny  for  good  or  for  evil — ^how 
can  such  a  parent  neglect  any  means  mdicated  by 


THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  121 

nature  or  by  revelation,  which  may  be  sanctified  to 
the  good  of  his  children  ? 

He  has  not  discharged  his  whole  duty — ^he  has 
only  recognized  it — when  he  has  brought  his  child 
to  God's  altar,  and  had  the  sacred  seal  put  upon  it. 
Then,  and  thereafter,  must  he  watch  around  it  as 
its  spiritual  guardian,  and  leave  no  effort  untried 
to  bring  it  into  the  ark  of  salvation.  God  has 
given  him  the  promise  that  he  shall  not  labor  in 
vain.  ^  The  promise  is  not  only  to  him,  but  to 
his  children.'  Faith,  and  prayer,  and  scripture 
inculcation,  will  be  rewarded  by  spiritual  blessings 
poured  out  upon  his  offspring.  To  meet  them  in 
Heaven,  should  be  his  great  aim  :  and  oh,  that  at 
last  he  may  be  able  to  say,  as  he  stands  before  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth,  "  Here,  Lord,  am  I,  and 
the  children  whom  Thou  hast  given  me !  " 


CHAPTER  Vm. 

INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  IIELA.TED    TO    THE    ABRA- 
HAMIC  COVENANT. 

Object  of  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians — an  incidental  argument 
thence  for  infant  baptism — baptism  (infant)  not  abrogated  with  the 
ceremonial  law — reasoning  of  Paul  to  this  effect — circumcision,  its  his- 
tory and  original  import — Abraham,  under  a  gospel  dispensation  pros- 
pectively— his  faith,  and  the  sign  or  seal  of  it,  viz.,  the  seal  of  circum- 
cision— a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith — the  visible  church  in  the 
patriarch's  family — the  seal  or  sign  continued  under  the  Levitical 
economy  no  nullification  of  its  continuance  or  import — the  seal  being 
changed  or  modified  as  to  what  is  external,  to  be  applied  as  in  the  family 
of  Abraham — not  restricted  to  adults — reference  to  household  baptism — 
additional  arguments  for  infant  baptism — identity  of  the  church  in  all 
ages — illustrated  in  the  vineyard  and  in  the  olive  tree — no  command  for 
restricting  it  to  adults — household  baptism — condition  of  the  primitive 
church — principles  and  practice  of  the  Apostles — "  believe  and  be  bap- 
tized " — Lydia's  baptism — the  jailer's — Stephanus's — the  import  of  the 
word  oikos  considered — children  included  in  the  idea — this  illustrated — 
another  argument — the  unbelieving  wife,  &c. — children  of  such  mar- 
riages, how  related  to  the  covenant — Dr,  Doddridge's  opinion. 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  one  object  of 
the  Apostle  is  to  show,  that  the  conduct  of  Abra- 
ham— ^who  was  so  much  A^enerated,  and  so  con- 
stantly appealed  to,  by  the  judaizing  teachers — 
was  an  argument  against  justification  by  works, 
and  in  favor  of  justification  by  faith.  We  derive 
a  very  important   incidental  argument   from  the 


INFANT    BAPTISM.  123 

Apostle's  course  of  reasoning  in  favor  of  our  prac- 
tice of  infant  baptism. 

It  is  alleged,  by  those  who  reject  infant  baptism, 
that  as  circumcision  was  a  part  of  the  ceremonial 
law,  and  as  such  was  abrogated  by  Chiist,  it  there- 
fore cannot  be  appealed  to  in  favor  of  the  practice. 
We  are  ready  to  concede,  that  if  circumcision  had 
never  been  known  until  the  ceremonial  law  was 
given — ^if  it  was  simply  and  solely  a  Jewish  rite, 
having  no  origin  anterior  to  the  Levitical  law — 
there  would  be  some  show  of  reason  in  the  argu- 
ment. But  when  did  cu'cumcision  begin  ?  and 
what  was  its  original  import  ?  It  began,  as  all 
will  admit,  Avith  Abraham,  four  hundred  and 
thii'ty  years  before  the  Levitical  law.  What  was 
its  import  ?  It  was  "  a  seal  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith."  "  And  Abraham  received,"  says  Saint 
Paul  in  Romans,  ^^  the  sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith  which  he  had, 
being  yet  uncircumcised ;"  and  to  this  end,  "  that 
he  might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  be- 
lieve." 

Now  will  any  deny  that  Abraham's  faith  was  of 
the  same  nature  as  that  of  all  other  believers  ? 
He  knew  nothing  about  the  Levitical  law.  He 
was  under  a  sort  of  gospel  dispensation.  "For 
the  gospel,"  says  Paul,  "  was  preached  unto  Abra- 


124       INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  RELATED 

ham."  In  order  to  constitute  him  the  father — in 
the  sense  of  a  great  predecessor  in  the  faith — the 
father  of  us  all,  the  scripture  (or  God  by  the  scrip- 
ture) "  preached  before  the  gospel  unto  Abraham." 
Here,  then,  we  find  Abraham  under  a  gospel  dis- 
pensation, before  the  legal  or  ceremonial  rites 
were  introduced  by  Moses  ;  exercising  a  faith  just 
such  as  believers  now  exercise,  only  greater  in 
degree.  An  initiatory  rite  or  seal  of  this  right- 
eousness of  faith  is  by  Jehovah  appointed,  and 
Abraham  applies  it  to  himself,  and  to  his  house- 
hold. Here,  then,  we  have  a  visible  church,  built 
on  faith  in  Christ — the  promised  seed — set  up  in 
the  family  of  Abraham,  with  an  appropriate  sign 
or  seal  of  admission,  pronounced  by  the  Apostle 
"  2i  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith."  This  was 
the  state  of  things  four  hundred  and  thirty  years 
before  the  Levitical  laws  were  established. 

Does  the  fact,  that  this  "  seal  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith  "  was  continued  under  the  Levitical 
economy,  destroy  its  primary  and  original  import ; 
or  allow  us  to  annihilate  it  with  the  extinction  of 
other  simply  ceremonial  rites  ?  This  seal  (circum- 
cision) had  two  designs  ;  the  primary  and  original 
and  all-important  one,  first,  as  a  "seal  of  the 
righteousness  of  faith ; "  and  secondly,  it  served, 
by  a  mark  in  the  flesh,  to  keep  the  Jewish  distinct 


TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  125 

from  the  heathen  nations,  until  the  promised  seed 
should  come.  This  latter  was  its  secondary,  or 
inferior  and  temporary  design.  When  Christ,  the 
promised  seed,  came,  this  secondary  design  of 
coui'se  was  then  completed ;  and  it  was  no  longer 
necessary,  for  that  reason,  to  keep  it  in  practice. 
But  is  the  great  primary  intention,  namely,  as  "  a 
seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,"  to  be  also  lost 
sight  of? — or,  on  the  supposition  that  the  rite  of" 
baptism  is  also  "a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith," 
which  none  will  deny,  and  is  come  to  supersede 
the  harsher  one  of  circumcision,  will  any  under- 
take to  say,  that,  as  the  import  of  the  two  rites  are 
the  same,  the  application  of  them  should  not  be  ?. 
How,  without  an  express  prohibition,  can  we  limit 
the  ^^seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith"  in  our 
day  to  adults,  when  in  Abraham's  day  it  was  ap- 
phed  to  the  whole  household  ? 

The  gospel  was  preached  to  Abraham.  So  says 
Paul.  Abraham  believed  it.  Here  is  gospel  faith 
in  the  head  of  the  household ;  accordingly  he,  the- 
Lead,  receives  the  sign  of  circumcision  as  a  seal  of 
the  righteousness  of  faith.  But  he  has  childi'en. 
and  servants.  They  too,  says  God,  must  receive 
the  same  seal,  though  not  capable,  some  of  them, 
of  understanding  its  import.  They  accordingly 
do  receive  it ;   and  Abraham  thus  obligates  liimself 


126       INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  RELATED 

to  train  them  up  in  the  principles  of  that  faith 
which  he  has  embraced. 

The  gospel  is  preached  to  the  head  of  a  family, 
in  gospel  times — say  to  the  jailer,  or  Lydia.  He 
or  she  believes  it.  The  seal  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith  is  accordingly  administered.  It  is  not  now 
circumcision,  but  haptisrn — a  milder  rite,  but  of 
the  same  import.  But  what  of  the  household? 
Shall  they  not  receive  the  seal  ?  Shall  the  jailer 
or  Lydia  be  told  that,  though  they  have  the  same 
faith  as  Abraham,  and  receive  the  seal,  as  he  did, 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith,  yet  that  they  must 
not  walk  in  his  steps  in  regard  to  applying  the 
seal  to  their  households  ?  Did  the  Apostle  say  to 
them,  ^  Your  households  cannot  have  the  same  priv- 
ileges which  his  had,  and  which  Jewish  families 
generally  have  ? '  ]\Iust  he  say  to  them,  *  The  vis- 
ible church  is  now  restricted  to  adults,  and  the 
children  have  no  connection  with  it  ? '  How  strange 
this  would  have  sounded. !  How  unlike  that  voice 
which  said,  "Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not ;  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God  !  " 

But  no  such  restriction  is,  by  the  Apostle,  an- 
nounced. He,  the  jailer,  is  baptized,  ^'^  and  all 
his,  straightway."  And  she,  Lydia,  is  baptized, 
"and  her  hoiisehold."    This  looks  much  more  hke 


TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC    CO'SrENANT.  127 

walking  in  the  steps  of  faithful  Abraham ;  and  is 
more  like  the  reahzation  of  that  "  promise,  which 
is  to  us,  and  to  our  children^ 

ADDITIONAL    ARGUINIENTS    FOR    INFAXT    BAPTISM. 

The  identity  of  the  church,  in  all  ages,  is 
proved,  not  only  by  the  faith  of  Abraham,  but  of 
all  true  Israehtes.  The  gospel  no  where,  ac- 
cording to  the  Apostles,  made  essentially  a  new 
church.  It  was  a  new  dispensation.  It  was  the 
fidlness  of  times.  A  great  enlargement  of  light 
and  knowledge,  and  an  important  change  in  the 
external  services  of  the  church  took  place.  But 
there  was  no  new  faith  ;  no  faith  different  in  its 
nature  and  object  from  that  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment saints.  This  is  beautifully  illustrated  by  the 
parable  of  the  vineyard.  The  vineyard  is  the 
same  ;  but  new  laborers  are  put  into  it.  It  is  also 
illustrated  by  the  olive  tree  and  its  branches.  This 
tree  was  planted  in  patriarchal  times.  Abraham 
was  an  important  branch  of  it;  so  were  all  his 
spiritual  descendants ;  and  these  were  never  lopped 
off.  But  the  lineal  descendants,  in  distinction 
from  the  spiritual — for  all  are  not  Israel  that  are 
of  Israel — mere  nominal  Jewish  professors,  were, 
for  their  rejection  of  Christ,  broken  off ;  and  the 


128       INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  RELATED 

true  root  and  stock,  still  vital  and  the  same,  re- 
ceived a  new  engrafting  from  tlie  Gentiles. 

Now,  unless  there  is  an  express  command  that, 
under  the  new  dispensation,  the  children  of  the 
saints  shall  not  be  eligible,  by  any  external  rite, 
to  any  sort  of  membership,  we  must  consider  our 
privileges  in  the  Christian  church  co-extensive  at 
least  with  those  of  the  Old  Testament  saints.  But 
there  is  no  such  ostracism  or  excision  to  be  found 
in  the  New  Testament.  On  the  contrary,  we  find 
Christ  saying,  "Of  such,"  referring  to  childi'en, 
"is  the  kingdom  of  God." 

HOUSEHOLD   BAPTISM. 

"VVe  find  that  when,  in  obedience  to  their  Lord's 
command,  the  Apostles  went  forth  to  make  dis- 
ciples, they  baptized  and  admitted  to  the  visible 
church  not  only  the  head  of  the  household,  but 
the  household  itself.  Hence  we  infer  no  curtail- 
ment of  privileges  under  the  New  Testament,  but 
the  continuation  of  infant  membership  as  under 
the  Old. 

It  weighs  very  little  with  me,  to  hear  it  asserted, 
against  this  view,  that  '  thousands  are  said  to 
have  behoved,  and  to  have  been  added  to  the 
church,  both  men  and  women,  whilst  there  is  no 


TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  129 

mention  of  cliildi-en.'  Here,  it  is  thouglit,  is  a 
triumphant  refutation  of  the  idea  of  household 
baptism.     But  let  us  look  at  it. 

In  the  formmg  state  of  the  church,  and  amid 
the  intense  excitement  of  a  pentecostal  revival, 
what  other  representation  would  have  been  natu- 
ral ?  When  sweeping  into  the  church  foui'  or 
five  thousand  at  a  time,  it  could  hardly  be  ex- 
pected that  reference  should  be  made  to  the  chil- 
dren ;  as  their  privilege,  in  this  respect,  was  a 
matter  of  after  consideration,  and  of  personal 
pai'ental  responsibility.  The  multitudes,  also,  who 
joined  the  church  by  baptism  on  the  day  of  pente- 
cost,  were  strangers  from  a  distance.  They  had 
left  their  households,  to  come  up  to  the  appointed 
feast.  It  was  a  great  accidental  congregation  of 
adults, — Parthians,  Modes,  Elamites,  &c. 

But  to  ascertain  the  principles  and  practice  of 
the  Apostles,  in  regard  to  this  matter,  it  is  far 
more  satisfactory  and  conclusive  to  take  the  conver- 
sion of  the  head  of  a  house,  presenting  a  distinct 
and  well-defined  case  of  parental  obligation.  This 
we  have  in  the  example  of  the  jailer  and  of  Lydia. 
In  these  instances,  we  see  how  household  baptism 
was  viewed  by  the  Apostles.  The  rite  is  adminis- 
tered not  only  to  the  head,  who  alone  professes  the 
faith,  but  to  all  his,  and  to  all  hers  straightway. 


130       INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  EELATED 

^Believe  and  be  baptized/  it  is  said.  Of 
course,  Paul  would  not  have  administered  the 
rite  to  a  Lydia  without  a  profession  of  her  faith. 
But  does  it  follow,  that  Lydia's  household,  even 
without  her  faith,  or  only  upon  her  faith,  may  not 
receive  the  sign  of  baptism  as  a  seal  of  the  right- 
eousness of  faith  ? 

The  facts  in  the  case  are  a  sufficient  answer. 
But  how  do  we  know  that  the  purple  vender  of 
Thyatira  had  any  children  ;  or  that  the  jailer  of 
Phillippi  had  ;  or  that  Stephanas  had  ? 

In  replying  to  this,  we  are  brought  to  another 
form  of  argument  in  favor  of  infant  or  household 
baptism. 

The  Greek  term  for  house  is  '  oikosj' — a  term 
the  meaning  of  which  must  be  ascertained  by  its 
connection  or  application.  When  Paul  says,  he 
baptized  the  house  (^  oikon ')  of  Stephanas,  every 
person  knows  that  he  refers  to  his  family,  not  his 
abode.  Hence  the  meaning  of  the  term  house,  in 
this  connection,  is  settled.  I  baptized,  says  the 
Apostle,  only  two  adults  in  Corinth.  He  was 
thankful  he  had  baptized  no  more,  since  a  con- 
troversy on  that  subject  was  raging  among  them. 
I  baptized  also,  he  goes  on  to  say,  one  household, 
viz.,  that  of  Stephanas. 

In  Timothy,  it  is  said,  "  A  bishop  must  rule 


TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  131 

well  his  own  house ; "  and  to  show  what  the 
house  means,  or  includes,  Paul  continues,  "  hav- 
ing his  children  in  subjection."  Here  the  house, 
or  ^oikos,'  embraces,  as  we  see,  the  children. 
Again  ;  if  any  widows  have  children,  let  them — 
that  is,  the  children — learn  first  to  show  piety  in 
their  house.  Our  translators  have  rendered  it, 
"at  home."  In  2  Timothy  i.  16,  "The  Lord 
give  mercy  unto  the  '  house '  of  Onesiphorus,  for 
he  oft  refreshed  me."  Here  Paul  does  not  say, 
they  oft  refreshed  me,  but  he  ;  and  for  this,  prays 
that  God  would  give  mercy  to  his  "  house," 
meaning,  evidently,  his  children.  That  Paul  sends 
his  salutation  to  the  same  household  does  not 
weaken  my  position ;  no  more  than  it  would 
prove  that  no  children  were  in  a  family  to  whom, 
from  previous  acquaintance,  you  might  feel  dis- 
posed to  send  your  kind  regards. 

In  Hebrews  xi.  7  :  "By  faith  Noah  prepared  an 
ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house."  His  house  meant 
his  family,  children  included.  The  Apostle  Peter 
says,  that  this  preparation  of  the  ark  for  the  saving 
of  his  house,  was  a  figure  of  baptism,  or  that  bap- 
tism is  a  figure  like  unto  that ;  so  that  household 
baptism  is  strongly  intimated  by  the  two  passages 
taken  in  connection. 

We  are  now,  I  think,  prepared  with  an  answer 


132      INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  RELATED 

to  the  inquiry,  ^How  do  we  know  that  there 
were  children  in  the  households  baptized  by  the 
Apostles  ? '  In  the  references  which  I  have  made 
to  the  house,  (or  ^  oikos/)  the  idea  of  children 
is  almost  the  only  idea  embraced  in  the  term  ;  so 
that  when  the  house  of  the  jailer  or  of  Lydia  is 
spoken  of  as  being  admitted  to  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism, the  impression  is,  and  can  only  be,  that  of 
children  and  dependents.  They  were  not  old 
people,  and  the  inference  is,  and  must  be,  that 
their  oikos,  or  house,  must  have  been  constituted 
of  comparatively  young  children. 

Take  any  five  or  six  families  in  any  country, 
and  assert,  concerning  all  of  them,  that  the  same 
blessmgs  or  calamities  had  happened  to  them ; 
that  sickness  had  smitten  these  families  ;  that  it 
had  smitten  '  all  his  or  all  hers ; '  or  that  some 
signal  good  had  happened  to  all  his  or  all  hers, 
in  these  four  or  five  families  ;  and  is  there  any 
common  sense  man,  who  would  doubt,  for  a  mo- 
ment, that  there  were  childi'en  in  some  of  these 
families,  if  not  all  ? 

We  have  then  household  baptism  established 
beyond  all  question  ;  and  the  evidence  is  as  strong 
as  any  reasonable  mind  could  wish,  that  there 
were  little  children  in  some,  if  not  in  all  of  these 
households. 


TO    THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  133 

One  more  argument,  founded  on  the  reasoning 
of  the  Apostle  Paul,  (in  1  Cor.  vii.  14,)  will  add 
weight  to  what  has  already  been  shown  in  regard 
to  the  extent  and  obligations  of  Christian  baptism. 
"  For  the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the 
wife,  (she  being  a  believer  ;)  and  the  unbelieving 
wife  is  sanctified  by  the  husband,  (he  being  a 
behever ;)  else  were  your  children  unclean ;  but 
now  are  they  holy." 

The  question  is,  as  to  the  meaning  of  this  pas- 
sage. On  the  conversion  of  a  wife  or  husband, 
(being  pagans,)  the  question  arose  first.  Shall  they 
separate  ?  Paul  says.  No,  provided  the  pagan  wife 
or  husband  chooses  to  adhere.  Christianity  shall 
not  separate  them  ;  it  shall  be  even  a  means  of 
sanctifying  the  unconverted  party.  Nor  shall  it  be 
a  barrier  to  the  children's  being  admitted  to  Chris- 
tian privileges,  baptism  especially  ;  for  where  one 
of  the  parties  is  a  Christian,  the  children  may  be 
considered  as  rightly  entitled  to  Christian  privi- 
leges. "Else  were  your  children  unclean,  but 
now  are  they  holy."  Every  Jew  knew  what  these 
terms,  and  this  distinction  of  '  unclean  and  holy ' 
meant.  It  did  not  mean  ^  legitimate  or  illegiti- 
mate,' as  some  have  said.  Nothing  of  the  kind. 
The  unclean,  was  that  which  could  not  be  offered 
up  to  God.     The  holy,  or  clean,  was  that  which 


134      INFANT  BAPTISM  AS  RELATED 

could  be  offered  to  God.  The  infants  of  pagans 
were  no  more  unclean  (morally)  than  others,  for 
all  are,  by  nature,  children  of  wrath ;  nor  were 
the  children  of  Christians  ^  holy,'  in  the  sense  of 
moral  purity.  But  the  children  of  pagans  were 
not  proper  subjects  of  baptism.  Ceremonially, 
they  w'ere  as  unclean.  But  where  one  of  the 
parties — a  wife  or  husband — was  brought  into 
covenant,  the  offspring,  for  that  reason,  was  cere- 
monially clean,  and  entitled  to  the  privilege  of 
baptism. 

I  am  fortified  in  this  opinion  by  the  learned  Dr. 
Doddridge.  In  his  paraphrase  on  this  passage, 
he  says,  "  For  in  such  a  case  the  unbelieving 
husband  is  so  sanctified  to  the  wife,  and  the  unbe- 
lieving wife  is  so  sanctified  to  the  husband,  that 
their  matrimonial  converse  is  as  lawful  as  if  they 
were  both  of  the  same  faith  ;  otherwise  your  chil- 
dren, in  these  mixed  cases,  were  unclean,  and 
must  be  looked  upon  as  unfit  to  be  admitted  to 
those  peculiar  ordinances,  by  which  the  seed  of 
God's  people  are  distinguished  ;  but  now  they  are 
confessedly  holy,  and  are  as  readily  admitted  to 
baptism,  in  all  our  churches,  as  if  both  parents 
were  Christians  ;  so  that  the  case,  you  see,  is  in 
effect  decided  by  this  prevailing  practice." 

To  this  Dr.  Doddridge  adds,  in  a  note,  the  fol- 


TO   THE    ABRAHAMIC    COVENANT.  135 

lowing,  viz. :  "  On  the  maturest  and  most  impar- 
tial consideration  of  this  text,  I  must  judge  it  to 
refer  to  infant  baptism.  Nothing  can  be  more 
apparent  than  that  the  word  holy,  signifies  persons 
who  might  be  admitted  to  partake  of  the  distin- 
guishing rites  of  God's  people ;  and  as  for  the 
interpretation  which  so  many  of  our  brethren  (the 
Baptists)  have  contended  for,  that  holy  signifies 
legitimate,  and  unclean  illegitimate,  (not  to  urge 
that  this  seems  an  unscriptural  sense  of  the  word,) 
nothing  can  be  more  evident,  that  the  argument 
will  by  no  means  bear  it ;  for  it  would  be  proving 
a  thing  by  itself  (idem  per  idem)  to  argue,  that 
the  converse  of  the  parents  was  lawful,  because 
the  children  were  not  bastards ;  whereas  all  who 
thought  the  converse  of  the  parents  unlawful, 
must  of  course  think  the  children  were  illegiti- 
mate." 

Without  dwelling  longer  on  the  subject,  or 
accumulating  arguments,  as  we  might,  in  proof  of 
the  prevalence  and  perpetuity  of  infant  dedication, 
under  all  the  phases  of  the  church,  from  Abra- 
ham's day  to  our  own,  I  would,  in  conclusion,  just 
say,  that  every  Christian  parent  should  understand 
and  perform  his  duty,  in  regard  to  this  matter. 
Being  Christ's,  he  is  Abraham's  seed,  and  an  heir 
to  all   the  privileges  of  the  covenant  made  with 


136  INFANT    BAPTISM. 

Abraham.  ^The  promise  is  to  him  and  to  his 
children.'  ffis  privileges  and  Abraham's  are  equal 
and  parallel.  Under  the  New  Testament  dispen- 
sation there  is  no  abridgment,  no  diminution.  Is 
it  not  the  duty,  then,  of  every  Christian  parent, — 
and,  we  may  add,  one  of  his  most  precious  privi- 
leges,— to  place  the  seal  of  the  covenant  upon  his 
offspring,  as  Abraham  did  upon  his  ? 


CHAPTER  IX. 

RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN  TO  THE 
CHURCH. 

In  what  sense  baptism  makes  children  members  of  the  church — Abraham's 
family  a  proper  type — relation  of  children  to  the  church  under  the 
Mosaic  economy — under  the  Christian  economy — put  on  the  ground  of 
the  domestic  "  ecclesia" — St.  Paul's  example  as  to  the  treatment  of 
households,  such  as  that  of  Lydia  and  the  jailer — children  members 
of  the  church  general  rather  than  of  any  chiu-ch  in  particular — the 
responsibility  of  training  and  discipline  on  the  parent — the  church  has 
a  duty — its  nature  and  extent — watch  and  care,  sympathy  and  instruc- 
tion, rather  than  discipline — these  views  fortified  by  the  late  eminent 
Dr,  Dwight — quotations  f.  om  Dr.  Dwight — the  baptized  child's  right  to 
the  Lord's  supper  considered — the  discipline  of  refractory  children,  to 
whom  is  it  referred — the  church  possesses  an  indirect  control  through 
the  parent — the  duties  of  the  church  stated. 

It  is  a  natural  and  very  proper  inquiry,  "What 
is  tlie  relation  of  baptized  children  to  the  church 
of  God  ?  In  what  sense  does  baptism  make  them 
members  of  the  church  ? 

If  we  establish  the  analogy  between  Abraham's 
privileges  and  those  of  Christian  parents  ;  so  that 
the  same  covenant  engagements,  promises,  and 
blessings,  apply  to  both ;  it  follows,  that  the  rela- 
tion in  which  Abraham's  children  stood  to  the 
10 


138     RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN 

church,  mil  be  a  sort  of  type  of  a  similar  relation 
in  regard  to  baptized  children  now. 

It  must  be  evident  that  the  patriarch's  family  was 
a  church  organization.  It  was  the  depository  of 
the  true  religion.  Abraham  was  the  responsible 
head  and  high  priest  of  his  household.  His  chil- 
dren, having  received  "  the  seal  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith,"  were  the  members  of  this  infant 
church.  He  instructed  them  in  the  faith  which 
terminated  on  the  promised  seed ;  and  taught  them 
to  fear  and  obey  God.  He  was  responsible  to 
Jehovah  for  the  faithful  training  of  his  household ; 
and  the  children  were  amenable  to  him ;  being 
bound  to  pay  due  reverence  to  his  authority,  and 
render  implicit  obedience  to  his  commands.  The 
disciplinary  power  lay  in  his  hands.  This  was  the 
order  and  organization  until  the  bringing  in  the 
Mosaic  economy. 

When  the  Levitical  law  was  promulgated,  at 
Sinai,  express  statutes  were  enacted  in  regard  to 
children,  viz.  —  that  they  should  be  consecrated  ; 
that  every  male  child  should  have  the  seal  of  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  put  upon  him ;  and  that  he 
should  be  regarded  by  this  sign,  as  one  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God.  As  he  grew  up,  he  came  under  obli- 
gations to  fulfill  all  the  ceremonial  law ;  and  par- 
took of  the  privileges  of  the  Jewish  church. 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  139 

The  question  in  regard  to  baptized  cliildren, 
under  tlie  Christian  economy,  is,  whether  their 
relation  to  the  church  shall  be  decided  by  the 
example  of  a  domestic  church,  as  in  the  family  of 
Abraham  ;  or  by  the  style  and  manner  adopted, 
under  the  more  formal  and  ritual  economy  of 
Moses  ? 

I  prefer  putting  their  relation  on  the  ground  of 
the  domestic  "  ecclesia ; "  after  the  example  of 
Abraham  ;  especially  as  it  is  to  his  example  we 
refer  in  establishing  the  authority  of  infant  con- 
secration and  infant  baptism.  If  the  same  faith  is 
in  us  that  was  in  him  ;  —  if  the  covenant  made 
with  him,  is  made  equally  with  us,  havmg  refer- 
ence, as  the  Apostle  declares,  not  to  the  law  which 
was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  but  to  the 
gospel  as  preached  to  Abraham  and  believed  by 
him  ;  —  it  seems  to  me,  a  natural  and  necessary 
inference,  that  our  children,  when  dedicated  as  his 
were  dedicated ;  having  a  seal  of  the  same  import 
affixed  to  them,  viz.,  "the  seal  of  the  lighteous- 
ness  of  faith,"  should  stand  in  the  same  relation  to 
the  church  of  God,  as  his  children  stood;  and  have 
exercised  towards  them  the  same  moral  discipline- 
and  instruction. 

Such  seems  to  have  been  the  idea  of  the  Apostle 
Paul  in  regard  to  the  households  which  he  baptized. 


140     RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN 

Take  the  jailer's  house,  for  example.  There  was  no 
church  organization  at  Pliilippi,  when  the  jailer's 
conversion  and  baptism  took  place.  It  was  proba- 
bly the  seed  from  which  the  church,  afterwards 
addressed  by  Paul,  sprung.  It  began  in  his  family 
and  that  of  Lydia.  It  was  in  the  first  instance  a 
domestic  organization.  The  jailer  may  be  said 
to  have  personated  the  patriarch ;  whilst  his  chil- 
di'en,  by  bearing  "  the  seal  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith,"  were  placed  in  a  relation  similar  to 
the  children  of  Abraham,  who  is  *  the  father 
of  all  them  that  believe,  whether  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles.' He  and  his  house  belonged,  of  course,  to 
the  church  of  God.  And  yet  there  was  no  par- 
ticular church,  to  which  they  could  be  said  to  have 
belonged.  If,  afterwards,  there  was  one  formed, 
by  the  voluntary  association  of  believers  —  cove- 
nanting together  for  that  purpose  —  it  would  not 
nullify  the  relation  in  which  they  already  stood  to 
the  church  of  God  in  general.  Suppose  there 
had  never  been  any  conversions  in  Philippi  but 
that  of  the  jailer ;  and  that  he  and  his  family  — 
being  baptized  into  Clmst  —  had  lived  and  died 
disconnected  from  any  particular  church  organiza- 
tion ;  will  any  deny  that  he  and  Ms,  stood  related 
by  covenant   and   promise   to   the   great   general 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  141 

churcli  of  God,  just  as  Abraham  and  his  family- 
stood  related  to  it  ? 

We  will  next  suppose  that  a  church  organiza- 
tion was  formed  at  Philippi  —  as  we  know  that, 
at  some  subsequent  period,  there  was  —  and  that 
the  jailer  became  a  member  of  it.  Did  his  bap- 
tized children,  by  that  act  —  supposing  that  as  yet 
they  were  of  irresponsible  age  —  did  they,  upon 
his  covenanting  with  other  Christians  in  a  particu- 
lai-  church  organization,  and  for  mutual  edifica- 
tion, become  members  of  that  particular  church? 
Not  necessarily,  we  reply.  They  belonged,  by 
their  baptism,  to  the  church  general,  as  the  jailer 
himself  did,  before  covenanting  with  brethren  in 
a  particular  church  organization.  If  any  of  his 
children  were  of  sufficient  age,  and,  possessing  the 
requisite  qualifications,  united  with  him  in  this 
new  and  particular  church  connection,  then  they 
were  members  both  of  the  church  general,  and  of 
the  church  of  Philippi  in  particular.  But  if  still 
children,  and  not  of  requisite  age  and  qualifica- 
tions for  such  an  act  as  the  one  contemplated, 
they  were  not  members  of  the  church  at  Philippi ; 
but  they  were  members  of  the  church  of  God 
in  general.  Had  the  jailer  never  had  the  privi- 
lege of  joining  any  particular  church,  the  church 
in    such    case   would    have   been,   for   all    prac- 


142     RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN 

tical  purposes,  confined  to  his  own  house- 
hold. He  would  have  been  responsible  for  the 
training  and  moral  discipline  put  forth  upon 
the  household  members.  Nor  was  this  respon- 
sibility to  be  transferred  to  any  particular  church 
with  which  afterwards  he  might  have  united. 
It  still  abided  upon  him.  The  church  might 
aid  him  in  the  work ;  and  be  of  great,  service 
by  extending  their  sympathies,  and  ofiering  him 
their  counsels,  and  throwing  around  his  house- 
hold their  affections  and  their  prayers.  They 
might  even  institute,  as,  according  to  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  church,  they  did,  catechetical  instruc- 
tion and  particular  training  ;  but  the  primary 
responsibihty,  after  all,  lay  on  the  hands  of  the 
covenanting  parent.  The  church  must  act  upon 
the  children  mainly  through  the  parent,  teaching 
him  his  duty  towards  them,  and  urging  upon 
him  the  obligations  of  the  requisite  discipline.  It 
was  HE  who  covenanted  '  to  train  up  his  children 
in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.' 

The  church  has  often  been  blamed,  and  I  fear 
but  too  justly,  for  neglecting  her  duty  towards  the 
baptized  children.  But  it  is  necessary  for  the 
church  to  know  what  her  duty  is  ;  and  this  she 
can  only  know  by  finding  out  what  the  rela- 
tion is,  subsisting  between  her  and  the  baptized 


TO   THE    CHURCH.  143 

children  of  those  who  belong  to  her  particular 
communion.  She  has  duties  towards  these  chil- 
dren, solemn  and  onerous.  To  instruct  them,  to 
care  for  their  souls,  to  pray  for  them,  to  watch  over 
them,  and  to  sympathize  deeply  with  the  parent 
in  all  his  efforts  to  bring  them  up  for  Christ  and 
his  church,  —  these  are  her  duties  ;  which  I  fear 
are  not  in  general  faithfully  discharged.  But  she 
cannot  take  from  the  parent  the  primary  responsi- 
bility, which  was  assumed  by  the  baptismal  vows  ; 
nor  can  she  interfere  in  the  way  of  discipline,  since 
the  childi'en  have  not  entered  into  covenant  with 
that  particular  church  organization.  They  belong, 
by  theii'  baptism,  to  the  church  of  God  in  general. 
When  they  choose  voluntarily  to  unite  with  any 
particular  church,  then  discipline  is  in  the  hands 
of  that  church,  and  may  be,  and  must  be  exer- 
cised. 

That  these  views  are  neither  new  nor  strange ; 
that  they  have  Scripture  and  reason  as  their  foun- 
dation, will,  I  think,  be  evident  to  all  candid  in- 
quhers.  I  am  happy  also  to  bring  to  their  sup- 
port, so  eminent  an  authority  as  that  of  the  late 
President  Dwight. 

After  a  convincing  train  of  argument,  he  says  : 
"  From  all  these  facts,  it  is  evident  that  a  person 
may  be  a  member  of  the  church  of  Christ  at  large. 


144     RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN 

and  not  a  member  of  a  particular  church.  A  min- 
ister is  a  member  of  the  church  of  Christ  at  large, 
but  is  never,  in  the  proper  sense,  a  member  of  a 
particular  church.  Peculiarly  is  this  evident  when 
he  is  dismissed  in  good  standing.  An  evangelist 
also  ;  that  is,  a  minister  ordained  at  large,  and  hav- 
ing no  particular  church  committed  to  his  care  ;  is 
a  minister  in  the  church  general,  and  is  acknowl- 
edged as  such  by  all  those  who  acknowledge  the 
validity  of  his  ordination.  He  is  not,  in  any  sense, 
the  minister  of  a  particular  church,  nor  in  any 
sense  a  member  of  such  a  church. 

"  When  an  adult  offers  himself  for  baptism,  he 
professes  his  faith,  and  enters  into  covenant  with 
God;  or  makes  a  profession  of  piety.  He  then 
receives  baptism,  as  a  seal,  on  the  part  of  God,  of  his 
own  covenant  with  the  man,  and  of  his  acceptance 
of  him  into  his  family.  As  this  seal  is  voluntarily 
received  by  the  man,  it  becomes  also  his  own  seal 
of  his  own  covenant  with  God  ;  a  solemn  and  final 
acknowledgment  of  his  enrollment  in  the  same 
family.  He  is  now  therefore  a  member  of  the 
church,  and  may  lawfully  commune  at  Christ's 
table,  wherever  his  fellow  Cliiistians  will  receive 
him. 

"  The  eunuch,  who  was  baptized  by  Philip,  was 
in  all  respects  in  this  situation.     He  made  a  pro- 


TO   THE    CHURCH.  145 

fession  of  religion,  and  was  baptized.  He  was 
therefore  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  ;  but 
he  was  a  member  of  the  church  general  only,  and 
not  of  any  particular  church.  He  could  not  have 
acted  as  a  member  of  such  a  church  in  any  eccle- 
siastical measure ;  nor  voted  in  the  regulations  of 
worship,  communion,  or  discipline. 

"  This  I  conceive  to  be  exactly  the  situation  of 
persons  baptized  in  infancy.  They  are  members 
of  the  church  of  Christ;  that  is,  of  the  church 
general.  They  are  members  in  the  same  sense 
in  which  the  eunuch  was  a  member  ;  in  which 
adults,  after  their  profession  and  baptism,  are 
members  antecedently  to  then'  union  with  par- 
ticular churches. 

"  What  then  it  will  be  asked,  constitutes  per- 
sons members  of  particular  churches  ?  The  answer 
is  at  hand  :  it  is  a  covenant  mutually  made  by 
Chiistians,  to  worship  God  together,  and  in  the 
same  manner,  and  in  accordance  with  the  same 
principles  ;  and  to  unite  together  in  the  same  fel- 
lowship and  in  the  same  discipline.  This  cove- 
nant and  this  alone  binds  them  together  as  a 
church.  None  of  the  persons  mentioned  above, 
ai'e,  at  the  time  supposed,  parties  to  such  a  cove- 
nant, and  therefore  none  of  them  are  members  of 
a  particular  church. 


14:6  RELATION    OF    BAPTIZED    CHILDREN 

"  Baptism  renders  any  person  capable  of  mem- 
bership in  a  particular  church,  if  he  is  disposed 
and  otherwise  prepared  to  unite  himself  to  it.  But 
neither  this,  nor  his  profession  of  religion,  will 
constitute  him  such  a  member.  This  can  be  done 
in  no  other  way,  but  by  means  of  that  mutual 
covenant  between  him  and  the  church,  which  has 
been  mentioned  above." 

It  is  clear,  if  these  statements  and  reasonings 
be  admitted,  that  the  baptized  child  is  a  member 
of  the  church  general,  anterior  to  and  independent 
of  any  connection  with  a  particular  church.  The 
particular  church  may  and  should  spread  its  arms 
over  the  child  and  cherish  its  spiritual  interests  in 
every  way  possible  ;  but  the  primary  obligation  to 
instruct  and  to  discipline  it  lies  with  the  covenant- 
ing parent. 

THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD's    RIGHT    TO   THE    LORD's 
SUPPER. 

Has  the  baptized  child  a  right,  arising  from  its 
relation  to  the  church  general,  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  ?  Undoubtedly  it  has,  if  it  pos- 
sesses the  spiritual  qualifications.  It  is  not,  how- 
ever, considered  in  accordance  with  church  order 
and  practice,  as  established  among  us,  for  the  child 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  "  147 

to  avail  himself  of  this  right  and  privilege  until 
he  shall  have  formally  united  with  some  particular 
church.  Intermediately,  liis  right  to  the  ordinance 
may  be  acknowledged  ;  but  for  prudential  reasons, 
as  where  he  is  yet  very  young  and  inexperienced, 
it  may  be  deemed  best  for  him  to  remain  in  a  state 
of  abeyance  ;  until  his  Christian  character  shall  be 
more  fully  developed,  and  his  understanding  of 
Christian  duty  be  clearer  and  more  comprehen- 
sive. 

It  is  for  each  particular  church  to  judge  in  regard 
to  whom  the  door  of  its  privileges  shall  be  opened ; 
and  the  same  judgment  she  must  exercise  as  to 
what  would  be  deemed  a  proper  age  on  the  part  of 
those  who  may  seek  admission  to  her  communion. 
Meanwhile  the  cliild  may  be  in  training,  by  paren- 
tal and  pastoral  instruction,  in  regard  to  the  nature 
of  Christian  ordinances  ;  particularly  that  of  the 
Lord's  supper ;  so  that  when  the  time  shall  come 
in  which  it  will  be  prudent  and  proper  for  it  to 
enter  into  covenant  with  the  church,  the  consecra- 
tion may  be  made,  with  an  intelligent  view  of  all 
the  obligations  which  such  a  profession  implies. 

But  suppose  the  child  should  come  to  its  death- 
bed before  the  door  shall  have  been  opened  for  it 
into  a  particular  church,  and,  deshing  to  obey  the 
Saviour's  command  in  regard  to  the  supper,  shall 


148     RELATION  OF  BAPTIZED  CHILDREN 

ask  for  it  at  the  hands  of  the  minister ;  shall  not 
the  child,  in  such  a  case,  be  allowed  to  partake  ? 
I  see  no  reason,  on  the  supposition  that  there  is 
evidence  of  piety,  why  he  should  be  refused. 
Baptism  is  administered  at  times  to  the  dying, 
professing  their  faith  in  Jesus  ;  why,  then,  under 
similar  circumstances,  should  the  ordinance  of  the 
supper  be  withheld  from  this  young  disciple  ?  It 
is  an  extreme  case,  justifying  a  departure  from 
rules  and  practices  ordinarily  and  properly  ob- 
served, in  regard  to  persons  in  health ;  and  so 
cannot  be  made  a  precedent  for  weakening  the 
obligations  of  a  public  and  formal  confession  of 
Christ. 

But  again  ;  a  question  of  kindred  but  somewhat 
different  nature  may  be  suggested,  viz. :  Shall  the 
baptized  child,  who  gives  no  evidence  of  spiritual 
qualifications,  be  allowed  to  come  to  the  Lord's 
table  ?  If,  in  this  case,  there  be  an  impediment  to 
this  privilege,  it  lies  not  in  the  fact,  that  he  is  not 
a  member  of  the  church  general — for  his  baptism 
makes  him  such — but  in  the  fact,  that  he  has  not 
the  spiritual  qualifications  to  "  discern  the  Lord's 
body,"  which  the  child  before-named  had.  The 
privileges  of  the  one  are  the  same  as  of  the  other, 
provided  they  are  prepared  in  heart  to  appreciate 
and   enjoy  them.      If  the    unconverted   child   is 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  149 

given  to  understand  that  he  is  bound  to  have  the 
quahfications  for  partaking  of  the  supper,  and  that 
this  lack  subjects  him  to  the  divine  displeasure, 
it  is  a  powerful  lever,  in  the  hands  of  parental 
faithfulness,  which  should  be  used  for  the  spiritual 
benefit  of  the  child.  AVhilst  refusing  to  commemo- 
rate the  Lord's  death  ;  and  for  the  reason  assigned, 
viz.,  the  want  of  a  heart  to  love  and  obey  him, 
the  child  is  under  a  sort  of  discipline  which  he 
should  be  made  to  feel,  through  the  prayers,  and 
counsels,  and  entreaties  of  his  anxious  parent. 
The  church  also  should  throw  theu'  sympathies  in 
with  the  parents,  and  assist,  by  every  lawful  and 
proper  means  of  co-operation,  to  bring  this  child 
to  a  realization  of  his  sin  and  to  a  full  surrender  of 
his  heart  to  Christ. 

Were  the  subject  viewed  in  this  light,  and  did 
the  parent,  and  the  church  to  which  that  parent 
belongs,  unite  in  efforts  and  prayers,  earnestly  and 
in  faith  put  forth,  with  a  view  to  reclaim  the  young 
heart  to  its  God  ;  we  can  have  little  doubt,  that  the 
God  of  Abraham  would  fulfill  his  part  of  the  cove- 
nant, in  imparting  the  needful  qualifications  ! 

And  here  permit  me  to  recur  again  to  the  state- 
ment of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Dwight,  touching  this 
point. 

"The  discipline  of  all  such  persons"  [referring 


150  RELATION    OF    BAPTIZED    CHILDREN 

to  baptized  children]  "  during  the  years  of  minor- 
ity, is  committed  supremely  to  their  parents  and 
guardians."  "  Were  the  church  to  interfere  di- 
rectly in  the  government  of  persons  thus  situated, 
two  independent  jurisdictions  would  exist  over  the 
same  subject,  at  the  same  time,  and  with  respect  to 
the  same  things.  These  in  their  exercise  could 
not  fail  to  clash,  in  many  instances.  If  both  juris- 
dictions are  right  and  scriptural,  the  child  would 
not  know  which  to  obey.  But  the  Scriptures  have 
settled  this  point,  by  requiring  him  to  obey  his 
parents  in  all  things,  and  informing  him  that  this 
is  well-pleasing  unto  the  Lord.  Hence  I  infer 
that  the  direct  jurisdiction  of  the  church  over  the 
child,  must  be  merely  nominal,  and  can  exist  to  no 
valuable  purpose. 

"  The  church  possesses  an  indirect  control  over 
the  child,  by  the  control  which  it  has  over  the 
parents  ;  and  this  it  is  bound  to  exercise  in  every 
proper  manner. 

"  The  parents  are  members  of  a  particular 
church  ;  and  therefore  subject  to  its  discipline. 
Every  church  is  accordingly  bound  to  require  such 
parents  as  are  members  of  it,  to  instruct  and  gov- 
ern their  children,  and  to  walk  before  them  agree- 
ably to  the  gospel.  The  church  is  bound  to  see 
that  all  this  is  actuallv  done,  and  to  call  to  a  solemn 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  151 

account  all  its  members,  who  neglect  or  violate 
these  duties.  This  is  a  control  which,  if  duly  ex- 
ercised, cannot  fail  of  being  beneficial  to  the  chil- 
dren. Any  other  must,  I  think,  be  of  course 
injurious. 

"  The  several  members  of  a  church  are,  in  my 
view,  bound  also  to  reprove  and  admonish  bap- 
tized persons,  whom  they  see  in  the  commission 
of  sin. 

"  Baptized  persons  have  a  peculiar  claim  on  pro- 
fessing Christians  for  this  office  of  love  ;  and  are 
bound  to  receive  it  with  humility  and  reforma- 
tion. 

"  Ministers  ought,  in  my  view,  to  make  it  a 
business  of  their  office  distinctly  to  unfold  to  them 
the  nature  of  their  relation  to  God  and  his  church ; 
and  solemnly  to  enforce  on  them  the  duties  arising 
from  this  relation,  particularly  the  duties  of  re- 
pentance and  faith  in  the  Redeemer ;  of  giving 
themselves  up  to  God  in  his  covenant ;  and  taking 
upon  themselves  openly  the  character  of  Christians. 
The  same  things  should  be  explicitly  and  solemnly 
enjoined,  from  time  to  time,  upon  their  parents ; 
one  of  whose  first  duties  it  is,  to  cooperate  faithfully 
with  their  ministers  in  teaching  and  enjoining  these 
things  upon  their  children.  Were  these  things 
begun  so  soon  as  their  children  were  capable  of 


152  RELATION    OF    BAPTIZED    CHILDREN 

understanding  them,  and  pursued  through  every 
period  of  their  non-age,  a  fair  prospect,  as  it  seems 
to  me,  would  be  opened  for  the  vigorous  growth, 
and  abundant  fruitfulness  of  this  nursery  of  the 
church. 

"  I  will  further  suggest,  that  it  is  a  part  of  the 
duty  of  the  church,  at  their  meetings  for  evangel- 
ical conversation  and  prayer,  to  summon  the  bap- 
tized persons,  who  are  minors,  to  be  present  at 
convenient  seasons,  while  the  church  offers  up 
prayers  to  God  peculiarly  for  them.  Were  all 
these  things  regularly  and  faithfully  done,  (and 
they  all  seem  to  grow  out  of  the  circumstances  of 
persons  baptized  in  their  infancy,)  I  cannot  help 
believing  that  a  new  face  would,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, be  put  upon  the  condition  and  character  of  the 
persons  in  question.  It  must  be  acknowledged 
that  much  less  attention  is  paid  to  them  in  modern 
than  in  ancient  times  ;  at  least  by  churches  in  gen- 
eral, and  less  I  think  by  ourselves  than  by  our 
ancestors." 

REFORM    NEEDED. 

In  regard  to  this  whole  subject,  there  needs  to 
be  a  revival  of  parental  and  ecclesiastical  obliga- 
tion.    The  parent  must  look  deeply  into  this  mat- 


TO    THE    CHURCH.  153 

ter.  The  primary  responsibility  lies  upon  him. 
The  child  is  "  bone  of  his  bone,  and  flesh  of  his 
flesh."  It  lives  in  the  moral  atmosphere  which  his 
spirit  and  conduct  create.  Has  he  offered  it  to 
God,  as  in  duty  bound  ?  Has  he  thenceforward 
regarded  it  as  set  apart  for  God  ; — and  has  he,  by 
prayer,  and  by  pious  counsels,  and  by  a  Christian 
example,  endeavored  to  carry  out  the  obligations 
of  the  covenant  ? 

The  church,  too,  has  a  duty  to  that  parent ;  and 
to  the  child,  through  that  parent.  Has  she  forgot- 
ten what  Christ  said :  "  Feed  my  lambs  "  ?  Has  she 
left  these  lambs  to  wander  fi'om  the  fold,  without 
even  a  call  to  return,  or  an  effort  to  bring  them, 
back  ?  Has  she  seen  the  prowling  wolves  devour- 
ing them  before  her  eyes,  with  scarcely  an  attempt 
to  rescue  them  ;  as  if  her  duty  consisted  only  in 
marking  them  with  the  sign  of  the  covenant,  and 
then  sending  them  to  the  wilderness  to  be  lost,  or 
devoured  by  wild  beasts  ?  No  wonder  the  baptis- 
mal covenant  is  fallen  into  disrepute.  No  wonder 
we  are  charged  with  believing  one  thing,  and  prac- 
ticing another.  No  wonder  religion  languishes, 
and  household  discipline  is  on  the  wane.  God 
will  never  be  pleased  TvHith  us  as  parents,  nor  pros- 
per us  as  churches,  until  we  have  a  more  sacred 
regard  to  his  covenant.  There  must  be  a  revival  of 
11 


154  BAPTIZED    CHILDREN. 

householcl  piety.  Parents  must  perform  tlieir  duty 
to  their  children.  They  must  command  them  in 
what  is  right,  and  teach  them  what  is  true  ;  and 
restrain  them  from  what  is  evil,  or  of  evil  ten- 
dency. 

And  the  churches  should  expend  some  of  their 
zeal  and  employ  much  of  their  time  in  educating 
the  baptized  children ;  and  cooperate  with  their 
parents,  in  this  most  needful  work.  There  is  need 
of  a  reform  on  this  point ;  and  a  greater  good  or 
better  example  can  scarcely  be  imagined,  than  for 
some  church  to  present  us  with  a  model  of  what 
is  due  to  God  and  to  the  rising  generation,  in  the 
faithful  care  and  training  of  the  baptized  children 
within  the  sphere  of  its  influence. 


CHAPTER    X. 

PRACTICAL   QUESTIONS. 

Practical  question — how  young'  shall  a  child  be  admitted  to  membership  in 
the  church  ? — the  bearings  of  this  question  upon  the  child,  and  upon  the 
church — inference  from  the  preceding  reasoning — verj-  young  children 
sometimes  admitted — peculiar  cases  justifying  it — better  in  general  to 
wait  for  more  age  and  experience — possibility  of  deception  in  regard  to  a 
spiritual  change — difference  in  intelligence  and  moral  training — a  church 
to  be  guided  by  circumstances — safe  rule  not  to  admit  too  young — from 
twelve  and  upwards  a  reasonable  limit. 

A  NUMBER  of  practical  questions  arise,  in  con- 
nection with  those  obhgations  which  respect  the 
rehgious  training  of  households.  '  The  child  of 
the  covenant '  having  been  consecrated  in  its  m- 
fancy,  may  give  signs  that  it  is  also  by  regeneration 
a  child  of  God.  It  may  have  pleased  God  to  have 
implanted  in  its  tender  heart  the  seeds  of  a  life 
eternal ;  and  as  it  grows  in  stature,  it  may,  like 
some  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  grow  also  in 
favor  with  God  and  man.  In  its  very  first  develop- 
ments of  character,  it  may  give  evidence  that  it  has 
experienced  the  grace  of  God.  Or,  by  the  prayers 
and  under  the  training  of  a  pious  parentage,  it  may 
be  brought,  in  its  juvenile  existence,  to  give  its 


156  PRACTICAL    QUESTIONS. 

young  heart  to  the  Saviour.  Even  in  early  child- 
hood, it  may  experience  a  genuine  conversion. 

Under  these  circumstances,  a  question  for  serious 
consideration  is  :  How  soon  shall  this  child  be 
allowed  to  enter  into  covenant  ivith  God's  people, 
and  so  avail  itself  of  the  full  privileges  of  the 
church  of  God  1 

The  bearings  of  this  question  are  twofold.  The 
child's  own  spiritual  improvement  is  intimately 
concerned  in  it ;  and  also  what  is  the  duty  of  any 
given  church  to  which  application  may  be  made  in 
its  behalf  for  .  membership.  What  rule  should  be 
laid  doAvn  by  a  church  in  regard  to  such  applica- 
tion ? 

According  to  reasoning  already  adopted,  and  as 
we  think  correct  in  the  premises,  if  the  child  be  a 
subject  of  grace  in  its  infancy,  it  has  a  right  to  par- 
take of  the  ordinance  of  the  supper,  as  it  was  pre- 
viously and  properly  admitted  to  the  church  in 
general,  by  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  ordi- 
nance of  the  supper  is  for  all  who  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  By  the  supposition,  this  child  loves 
the  Saviour,  and  of  course  should  be  permitted  to 
commemorate  his  dying  love.  It  might  be  ex- 
pedient however,  and  very  proper,  as  we  have 
intimated,  to  postpone  the  admission  of  an  infant 
member  to  full  church  privileges,  until  such  time 


PRACTICAL     QUESTIONS.  157 

as  he  or  she  can  take  an  intelligent  view  of  the 
nature  of  the  covenant,  and  also  of  the  obligations 
which  it  imposes.  This  could  not  be  considered 
an  unwarrantable  abridgment  of  privileges,  pro- 
vided the  delay  was  insisted  upon,  as  much  for 
the  good  of  the  youthful  Christian  as  for  pruden- 
tial reasons  in  connection  with  the  purity  of  the 
church. 

We  do  not  consider  the  sacrament  of  the  sup- 
per as  a  saving  ordinance,  any  more  than  we  do 
the  ordinance  of  baptism.  It  is  a  sealing  and 
sanctifying  ordinance,  and  important  as  a  means 
of  grace;  but  its  participation  is  not  indispen- 
sable to  salvation.  Still,  as  we  have  conceded, 
there  might  be  an  extreme  case,  as  on  the  death- 
bed, where  a  child  having  a  strong  desire  to  enjoy 
this  ordinance,  and  possessing  the  qualifications  ; 
it  might  be  proper  to  deviate  somewhat  from  an 
established  custom.  It  would  be  expedient  there- 
fore, and  very  proper,  to  postpone  the  admission  of 
an  infant  member  to  full  church  privileges,  until 
such  time  as  it  can  intelligently  understand  the 
nature  of  a  profession,  and  the  obligations  which 
it  imposes  or  impHes. 

If  the  case  is  one  where  uncommon  intelligence 
is  combined  with  ardent  piety,  of  which  pious  pa- 
rents are  the  best  judges ;  it  might  be  expedient  also, 


158  PRACTICAL    QUESTIONS. 

and  even  proper,  to  introduce  a  young  child  into 
membership.  There  are,  and  have  been  such  in- 
stances. Very  young  children  have  been  admitted 
to  the  church,  and  the  result,  in  certain  cases,  has 
been  highly  satisfactory.  These  cases,  however, 
are  not  very  common.  Children  may  have  piety  ; 
but,  if  very  young,  they  cannot  be  supposed  to 
enter  intelligently  into  the  obligations  and  duties 
which  are  asserted  and  implied  in  the  covenants 
usually  assented  to  in  our  churches.  This  is  one 
reason  for  postponing,  for  a  while,  a  profession  in 
any  given  church.  It  argues  no  want  of  confidence 
in  youthful  piety ;  but  is  a  measure  of  discretion, 
which  any  church  would  be  justified  in  adopt- 
ing. 

A  still  further  reason  for  some  delay,  if  the  child 
is  very  young,  would  be,  the  possibility  of  decep- 
tion in  regard  to  the  evidences  of  true  piety. 
These  evidences  need  to  be  tested  by  some  experi- 
ence, in  connection  with  companionship,  and 
worldly  pleasures.  If  the  incorruptible  seed  be 
there,  it  will  live  and  grow,  especially  if  the  pa- 
rent's eye  be  upon  it,  and  his  prayers  and  instruc- 
tions be  employed  to  nourish  it ;  and  so,  in  due 
time,  this  plant  of  righteousness  may  be  placed 
within  the  sacred  inclosure. 

Considering  the  variety  of  training  and  of  ex- 


PRACTICAL    QUESTIONS.  159 

perience  which  children  have,  and  the  almost  end- 
less variety  in  their  temperaments,  their  precocity, 
their  intelligence ;  it  Avould  be  difficult  to  lay  down 
any  one  rule  as  to  the  proper  age  for  church  mem- 
bership. Some  are  more  intelligent  at  eight  than 
others  are  at  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  Some  are 
under  a  training  fi:om  infancy,  with  a  view  to  this 
very  duty.  It  is  explained  and  made  familiar  to 
their  apprehensions,  and  if  taught  at  the  same  time 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  may  come  into  the  church 
with  as  much  knowledge  of  the  true  nature  of  a 
religious  profession  as  older  candidates. 

I  should  have  no  objections,  in  such  cases,  to 
receive  a  very  young  person  into  a  church,  espe- 
cially, if  to  this  previous  training  and  present 
evidence  of  piety,  there  were  the  additional  guar- 
anty of  a  continued  effort  and  example  on  the  part 
of  the  parents,  to  train  the  child  more  and  more  in 
the  practical  duties  of  our  religion. 

It  is  a  safe  rule,  however,  not  to  be  precipitate 
in  this  grave  matter.  Postponement  for  a  few 
years  will  not  injure  the  piety  of  one  who  is  truly 
regenerated  ;  provided  the  means  of  grace  are 
enjoyed,  and  a  system  of  religious  culture  at  home, 
in  the  church,  and  in  the  Sabbath  school  be  pur- 
sued. Yet,  after  all,  must  each  case  stand  on  its 
own  individual  merits ;  and  each  church,  in  con- 


160  PRACTICAL     QUESTIONS. 

nection  witli  pious  and  intelligent  parents,  must 
decide  what  is  best  for  the  child  ;  and  what  policy 
is  most  prudent  and  edifying  on  the  part  of  them- 
selves. From  twelve  years  and  upwards  has  been 
thought  a  prudent  limit  in  regard  to  admission  to 
the  church,  even  where  the  evidence  of  youthful 
piety  is  satisfactory. 


*, 


CHAPTER  XL 

HOUSEHOLD  BAPTISM— A  QUESTION  IN  CONNEC- 
TION WITH  IT. 

A  question  in  connection  with  household  baptism — to  what  number,  and  at 
what  age  shall  baptism  be  administered,  on  the  faith  of  the  professing 
head  ? — case  of  the  jailer  at  Philippi  considered — the  example  not  defi- 
nite— yet  sufficient  to  warrant  the  baptism  of  children  under  age — cus- 
tom of  the  Hebrews  in  regard  to  proselytes — remarks  of  Calmet — the 
rule  should  embrace  all  from  twelve  or  thirteen  years  and  under — no 
coercion  —  re-baptism  —  the  question  considered  —  should  be  discounte- 
nanced— and  on  what  grounds — especially  its  tendency  to  self-righteous- 
ness— objections  to  the  principles  and  practices  of  the  Baptists,  princi- 
pally on  these  grounds — spirit  of  the  Apostle  Paul  iu  relation  to  this 
subject. 

When  the  head  of  a  household  is  converted 
and  baptized  ;  or  converted,  having  been  baptized ; 
and  there  are  children  of  different  ages,  from  in- 
fancy up  to  manhood,  in  that  house,  what  rule  shall 
he  observed  in  regard  to  their  baptism  1  Such  was, 
in  all  probability,  the  case  of  the  jailer  at  Philippi, 
and  also  of  Lydia.  The  conversion  respected,  in 
both  these  instances,  the  responsible  head  of  the 
house.  Paul  was  at  work  in  obedience  to  our 
Lord's  command,  ^  Go  ye  and  make  disciples  of 
all  nations  ;  baptizing  them,'  &c.  ;   and,  while  thus 


162  HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM. 

laboring,  these  two  heads  of  households  were  made 
disciples.  They  were  accordingly  baptized.  But 
we  are  informed,  that  "  all  his  " — referring  to  the 
jailer — were  also  baptized.  Yet  of  how  many  his 
household  consisted,  or  what  their  ages  were,  is 
not  made  known.  Hence  we  can  only  draw  from 
this  example  the  presumptive  proof  in  favor  of 
household  baptism.  We  cannot  take  it  as  an  ex- 
ample of  how  many  in  a  given  household  should 
be  baptized ;  nor  within  what  limitation  as  to  age, 
the  ordinance  should  be  confined.  The  circum- 
stances w^ould  lead  us  to  suppose  that  in  both  the 
instances  alluded  to,  the  individuals  were  in  the 
meridian  of  life ;  and  so  their  children  were  likely 
to  be  under  age,  if  not  quite  young.  If  they  were 
young  children,  it  is  easy  to  see  the  force  and  pro- 
X)riety  of  the  term,  "  all  his." 

In  the  absence  then  of  definite  scripture  exam- 
ples, we  are  to  make  our  inferences  from  such  as 
are  given,  and  assume,  that  where  the  children  are 
young  and  dependent,  they  are  to  be  included  in 
the  covenant,  and  should  receive  the  sign  or  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith. 

It  was  customary,  we  know,  among  the  Hebrews, 
to  put  the  seal  upon  the  household,  including  even 
servants ;  and  when  converts  were  made  to  the 
Jewish   faith,  it   was  required  that  not   only  the 


HOrSEHOLD    BAPTISM.  163 

head  of  the  house — who  may  have  been  the  only 
proselyte — but  all  his  dependent  household  should 
wear  in  their  flesh  the  sign  of  the  new  religion. 
This  rule  applied  to  one  who  entered  into  full  com- 
munion with  the  church,  and  w^as  called  "  a  prose- 
lyte of  justice."  But  there  was  no  coercion,  in 
cases  where  the  members  of  the  household  were 
of  mature  age  ;  the  rule  had  special  reference  to 
such  as  were  thirteen  years  and  under.  Calmet 
remarks,  "  The  proselyte  also  caused  circumcision 
and  baptism  to  be  administered  to  his  slaves 
under  thirteen  years  of  age  ;  those  of  that  age  and 
older,  could  not  be  compelled  ;  but  he  must  sell 
them  if  they  were  obstinate  in  not  embracing  Ju- 
daism. Female  slaves  were  only  baptized  if  they 
would  become  converts."  "Baptism,  in  respect  of 
girls,  had  the  same  effect  as  circumcision  in  respect 
of  boys." 

From  these  circumstances  it  may  be  inferred, 
that  when  the  Apostles  went  forth  to  make  disci- 
ples to  the  Christian  religion  of  all  nations,  they 
adopted  a  somewhat  similar  rule.  If  the  head  of 
a  house  embraced  the  new  faith,  he  was  baptized 
upon  that  faith,  and  also  his  dependent  household, 
so  far  as  their  age  justified  the  parent  in  their  pre- 
sentation. From  twelve  or  thirteen  years  and 
under,  the   children  and  servants  were  baptized, 


16^  HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM. 

and  the  parent  or  parents  became  responsible  for 
their  Christian  training. 

The  same  rule  may  be  observed  now.  There 
should  be  no  coercion ;  but  if  children  even  be- 
yond the  age  of  thirteen,  and  well  instructed  in 
the  principles  of  our  religion,  should  wish  to  be 
included  in  the  baptismal  consecration,  I  see  no 
reason  why  the  privilege  should  be  denied  them. 
As  a  general  rule,  however,  I  should  think  it  best 
to  let  the  consecration  range  from  the  age  of  thir- 
teen and  under,  not  excluding  any  somewhat  be- 
yond that  age,  who  should  express  a  strong  desire 
to  be  included. 

RE-BAPTISM. 

Is  it  ever  proper  to  re -baptize  those  who  have 
been  baptized  in  their  infancy  ?  Such  a  question 
is  occasionally  presented  as  a  practical  one  ;  and  it 
were  well  in  this  place,  to  give  it  some  considera- 
tion. 

We  take  the  ground  that  baptism  should  not  be 
repeated.  We  will  not  say  that  there  never  was  a 
case  in  which  it  might  not  be  justified  ;  but  the 
repetition  in  almost  any  supposable  case  would  be, 
as  we  think,  an  unwise  precedent.  If  the  act 
shall  have  been  solemnly  done  in  the  name  of  the 


HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM.  165 

Trinity,  we  see  no  reason  why  any  supposed  defect 
in  the  administrator  should  vitiate  or  nulHfy  the 
ordinance.  We  do  not  re-baptize  those  who  have 
received  the  seal  in  their  infancy  or  in  adult  years, 
from  one  who  proves  to  be  a  bad  man ;  nor  are  we 
accustomed  to  baptize  over  again,  the  children  of 
those  parents  who,  from  inadequate  or  superstitious 
views,  had  the  seal  affixed  upon  their  offspring. 

The  Jews  were  not  accustomed  to  re-baptize 
proselytes,  even  though  they  had  apostatized. 
Says  Calmet,  "  Baptism  was  never  repeated,  neither 
in  the  person  of  the  proselyte,  though  he  should 
afterwards  apostatize,  nor  in  that  of  his  children 
born  to  him  after  baptism  ;  unless  they  were  born 
from  a  pagan  woman  ;  in  which  case  they  were  to 
be  baptized  as  pagans,  because  they  followed  the 
condition  of  their  mother." 

Some  persons  are  extremely  anxious  to  be  re- 
baptized,  on  the  ground  that  the  person  who  admin- 
istered the  rite  was  unsound  in  the  faith — that  he 
was  a  Romish  priest,  or  a  Unitarian  clergyman  ; 
and  they  have  a  feeling  that  baptism,  by  such 
hands,  can  be  of  no  avail.  We  should  hardly, 
perhaps,  be  justified  in  treating  such  scruples 
lightly,  or  in  refusing,  in  every  case,  to  re-baptize  ; 
but  whenever  the  idea  of  re-baptism  is  present- 
ed,  under  these   circumstances,   and  its  necessity 


166  HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM. 

pressed,  upon  sucli  considerations,  it  argues  a  lean- 
ing towards  Pharisaism  which  it  is  very  important 
to  rectify.  Oar  Baptist  brethren  invariably  re- 
baptize,  on  the  ground  that  they  consider  pedo- 
baptism  as  a  nullity  ;  and  insist  also,  that  a  particular 
form,  that  is,  submersion,  is  necessary  to  the  validity 
of  the  ordinance.  All  not  baptized  in  their  ivay, 
are  to  them  imbaptized.  We  have  always  looked 
upon  this  peculiarity  as  dangerous,  because  tending 
to  foster  a  self-righteous  spirit ;  and,  by  makmg 
an  outward  rite  of  so  much  consequence,  they  un- 
consciously, as  I  think,  weaken  the  spiritual  power 
of  religion. 

For  the  same  reason,  I  should  try  to  make  a 
convert  feel  that  baptism  was  not  the  most  import- 
ant thing  ;  that  whether  administered  in  infancy, 
or  in  mature  life,  it  was  equally,  in  God's  sight, 
the  introductory  sign  and  seal  to  membership  in 
the  general  church ;  that  even  when  performed  by 
one  whose  faith  was  defective,  or  whose  character 
should  subsequently  prove  to  be  vicious,  still  it 
was,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  baptism  ;  and  may 
be  recognized  as  such,  both  by  the  individual  bap- 
tized, and  by  the  local  church  with  which  he  pro- 
poses to  enter  into  covenant. 

Such  are  the  views  which,  in  general,  we  enter- 
tain in  regard  to  re-baptism.     They  are  in  the  spirit, 


HOUSEHOLD    BAPTISM.  167 

we  think,  of  him  who,  upon  finding  a  schism  well 
nigh  ready  to  break  out  in  the  church  of  Corinth, 
because  one  was  baptized  by  Paul  and  another  by 
Apollos,  thanked  God  that  he  had  baptized  so  few, 
and  added,  "  for  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but 
to  preach  the  gospel." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PRACTICAL    DUTIES. 

Questions  as  to  parental  indulgrence — amusements — they  must  be  innocent 
— differing  views — a  rule  in  regard  to  amusements — how  to  be  inter- 
preted— children  and  parents  alike  professors  under  the  baptismal  cove- 
nant— consequent  obligations — books — literature  of  the  present  day — its 
tendency  in  many  cases  bad — parents  must  watch  on  this  point — what 
kind  of  books  to  be  admitted,  and  what  to  be  excluded — the  Sabbath — its 
obligation — how  to  be  kept — worship — the  duty  of  parents  in  regard  to 
where  his  child  shall  worship — responsibility  of  parents — close. 

There  are  questions  concerning  practical  duty 
of  every  day  occurrence,  which  parents  are  obHged 
to  meet,  and  which,  as  connected  with  parental  ob- 
ligation and  household  training,  are  not  always 
easy  of  solution. 

A  parent  is  often  at  a  loss,  how  far  he  shall  in- 
dulge the  wishes  of  his  child  in  regard  to  what  are 
usually  called  the  pleasures  of  life.  Amusements 
of  some  kind  the  young  and  elastic  spirit  of  child- 
hood must  have.  It  would  be  warring  against 
nature,  to  restrict  the  buoyant  mind  to  the  mere 
routine  of  every-day  duties.  There  must  be  sea- 
sons of  relaxation  and  pleasant  pastime,  in  which 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  169 

the  animal  spirits  may  be  developed,  and  an  air  of 
cheerfulness  be  cultivated.  But  very  often  there 
will  be  a  tendency  to  excess  in  these  indulgences. 
An  undue  proportion  of  time  will  be  claimed  for 
pleasures  which  are  innocent ;  or  there  will  be  a 
craving  for  such  as  are,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
parent,  of  injurious  tendency. 

A  child  is  not  the  proper  judge,  as  to  the 
amount,  or  the  nature  of  such  indulgences.  He  is 
selfish  and  impulsive.  He  looks  neither  at  ten- 
dencies nor  at  consequences.  He  usually  decides 
simply  from  preferences  and  the  prospect  of  pres- 
ent gratification.  The  parent  then  is  to  be  the 
judge  in  such  cases  ;  and  that  judgment  is  to 
be  exercised  according  to  the  disposition  of  the 
child,  and  the  known  tendency  of  such  pleasures 
to  benefit  or  to  injure  those  who  are  addicted  to 
them. 

AMUSEMENTS. 

A  first  question  with  the  Christian  father  or 
mother  should  be  :  Is  the  amusement  which  the  child 
craves,  innocent  1  It  would  seem  as  if  it  were  not 
difiicult  to  decide  this  point ;  and  yet  what  would 
be  called  innoxious  by  one,  woidd  be  pronounced 
hurtful  by  another  ;  and  what  one  parent  would 
12 


170  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

consider  morally  injurious,  another  would  plead 
for,  as  an  innocent  pastime.  I  have  known  pa- 
rents who  were  professors  of  piety,  and  possessors 
too,  it  is  hoped,  who  were  in  favor  of  dancing  as 
a  juvenile  accomplishment,  and  altogether  imiocent, 
if  not  carried  to  excess  ;  and  I  have  found  others 
in  the  same  church,  who  looked  upon  this  exercise 
as  belonging  only  to  the  ungodly,  and  who  were 
pained  to  learn  that  any  of  theii'  fellow-Christians 
either  practiced  it,  or  encouraged  their  children  in 
the  practice  of  it. 

I  have  known  professors  who  justified  them- 
selves in  taking  their  childi*en  to  all  sorts  of  shows 
and  exhibitions,  indiscriminately,  not  excepting 
even  the  opera  and  the  theatre. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  rule  which  I 
have  laid  *down,  viz.,  that  the  amusements  of  our 
children  should  at  least  be  innocent,  is  one  which 
is  Hable  to  be  variously  construed,  and  so  may  lose 
all  its  practical  force. 

But  as  I  am  now  addressing  those  parents  es- 
pecially who  have  entered  into  covenant  with  God, 
and  have  made  a  sort  of  double  profession,  having 
vowed  not  only  for  themselves,  but  for  their  chil- 
dren, to  set  the  latter  a  Christian  example,  and  in 
every  possible  way  to  train  them  up  for  God  and 
heaven ;  I  am  clear  in  laying  down  an  expository 


PRACTICAL    DUTIES.  171 

understanding  of  the  rule  suggested.  And  my  un- 
derstanding is  this  :  that  as  the  children  are  mem- 
bers of  the  church  general,  by  baptism,  they  should 
be  indulged  in  no  amusements  which  would  not  be 
allo^vable  to  a  professor  of  religion.  Of  course  I 
do  not  now  refer  to  the  ordinary  out-door  sports  of 
childhood,  in  wliich  children  usually  and  inno- 
cently engage.  I  refer  more  particularly  to  those- 
artificial  and  exciting  shows  and  entertainments, 
which  are  addressed  more  to  the  sensual  than  to- 
the  moral  or  intellectual  part  of  our  nature.  Under 
this  head,  I  place  all  theatres  and  modifications  of 
theatrical  exhibitions  ;  where  characters  of  excep- 
tionable morality,  by  scenery,  dress,  and  song, 
cater  to  the  depraved  taste  of  mankind.  Here  is> 
no  place  for  a  Christian  parent  or  a  Christian  child. 
No  person  is  educated  either  for  this  world  or  for 
heaven,  in  such  schools  as  these.  No  matter  how 
much  the  child  may  plead  for  such  amusements  on. 
the  score  of  popular  attraction  and  general  exam- 
ple ;  the  parent  should  take  his  stand  and  say,  ^  iVo- 
I  am  bound  to  do  every  thing  in  my  power  to  train 
up  my  children  for  usefulness  here,  and  for  glory 
hereafter  ;  and  such  amusements  stand  directly 
opposed  to  this  high  and  holy  intention.  If  it 
would  be  inconsistent  for  me,  a  professor  of  relig- 
ion, to  be  seen  at  such  places,  why  is  it  not  equally 


172  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

inconsistent  for  me  to  allow  my  children,  who  are 
also  in  a  sense  professors  of  religion,  by  their  bap- 
tism, to  resort  to  them  ? ' 

Let  no  parent  say,  he  is  forced  into  compliance ; 
that  he  camiot  help  it.  He  can  help  it ;  and  he 
is  bound  to  forbid  it,  if  the  indulgence  is  incon- 
sistent with  his  vows,  or  of  injurious  tendency  to 
his  child.  So  long  as  a  child  is  a  minor,  depend- 
dent  upon  him,  and  under  his  care,  that  child  is 
bound  by  the  law  of  the  household,  to  obey  the 
parent ;  and  ordmarily  will  be  found  to  acquiesce ; 
provided  that  parent  does  his  duty  in  the  way  of 
exacting  obedience.  Children  have  a  conscience. 
They  know  many  times,  that  the  things  for  which 
they  plead  are  wrong,  or  of  injurious  tendency ; 
and  yet  from  mere  selfish  or  sensual  impulses  they 
will  plead  with  their  parents  to  indulge  them  only 
this  once,  or  in  this  one  thing.  But  there  is  some- 
thmg  within  that  tells  them,  even  before  the  pa- 
rent has  given  his  decision,  that  the  thing  is  of 
questionable  morality.  Let  the  parent  assume  this, 
and  set  before  the  child  in  an  affectionate  way,  the 
evil  tendencies  of  the  amusement  in  question ; 
keeping  in  view,  meanwhile,  that  the  baptismal 
covenant  obliges  him  to  do  only  that  which  will 
make  for  the  spiritual  good  of  his  child ; — let  him 
thus  do,  and  the  conscience  of  the  child  mil  re- 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  173 

spoud  to  liis  decision,  however  the  selfish  or  sin- 
loving  heart  may  object  to  it. 

If  the  parent,  who  has  entered  into  covenant 
for  himself  and  for  his  child,  may  not  lawfully  or 
consistently  be  found  in  gay  circles,  where  the 
whole  tone  and  spirit  of  the  company  is  of  a 
merely  sensual  cast, — where  late  hours  are  kept 
and  promiscuous  dancing  is  indulged, — if  he  may 
not  consistently  form  a  part  of  such  chcles,-!  see 
not  why  he  should  send  his  child,  one  of  the 
lambs  of  the  flock,  into  them.  For  that  child  he 
has  made  solemn  vows,  obliging  himself  by  a  sort 
of  sacred  oath  to  do  every  thing  in  his  power  to 
further  its  spiritual  interests  and  to  save  its  soul. 
These  vows  bind  him  to  refuse  invitations  not  only 
for  himself,  but  for  his  children,  w^here  it  is 
well-known  that  a  moral  peril  is  involved  in  the 
acceptance. 

But  I  hear  the  ambitious  father  or  mother  say, 
would  you  have  us  make  our  cliikben  nuns  or 
recluses  ?  Shall  w^e  cut  them  ofl"  from  society  ? 
No,  by  no  means.  My  advice  goes  not  to  that 
length.  It  simply  says  to  you.  Send  not  your  chil- 
dren to  places  where  their  sphitual  interests  will 
be  endangered.  This  is  all.  I  remember  one  man 
— and  in  the  judgment  of  charity  a  Christian — who 
stood  over  the  dying  couch  of  his  daughter,  now 


174  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

unconscious  and  just  at  the  point  of  death,  and, 
wringing  his  hands,  he  exclaimed,  "Oh,  I  have 
educated  my  daughter  for  this  world." 

BOOKS. 

In  the  present  day,  we  are  flooded  with  books. 
The  press  is  at  work  day  and  night,  pouring  forth 
a  perpetual  stream  upon  the  counters  and  book- 
shelves of  the  publishers,  with  taking  titles  and 
attractive  embellishments.  Columns  of  the  daily 
papers  are  filled  with  advertisements  of  these  books, 
in  a  style  the  most  exaggerated  ;  telling  how  many 
thousands  have  been  published,  and  quoting  edito- 
rial commendations,  and  all  with  a  view  to  money- 
making.  These  books,  in  a  majority  of  cases,  ai'e 
got  up  especially  to  sell.  The  authors  have  in 
view  the  profits,  and  so  have  the  publishers.  The 
question  is.  What  will  sell  ?  This  question  looks 
directly  to  the  public  taste.  If  it  is  low  and  cor- 
rupt, the  books  will  be  of  a  similar  character. 
Books  which  are  made  to  sell,  are  very  likely  to 
have  a  stamp  and  character,  which  make  them 
attractive  to  the  million.  But  the  million  are  not 
the  best  judges  of  a  healthful  hterature  ;  and 
consequently  the  press  groans  under  the  weight 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  175 

of  noxious^    and_,   in   some    instances,    detestable 
books. 

Here  then  is  work  for  the  parent.  He  is  to 
judge  what  books  are  best  to  come  into  his  domes- 
tic sanctuary.  He  must  keep  an  eye  on  this 
matter,  or,  ere  he  is  aware,  the  door  that  is  left 
carelessly  open,  will  admit  some  serpent,  in  the 
form  of  an  embellished  volume,  which  will  steal 
noiselessly  in,  and  sting  the  soul  of  his  child. 
Books  that  excite  the  passions ;  that  consume  time, 
without  imparting  any  valuable  information  ;  that 
appeal  to  a  morbid  curiosity,  or  make  an  insidious 
attack  on  the  principles  of  morality  and  of  piety ; 
all  such  books  the  Christian  parent  will  feel  it  to 
be  his  duty  to  exclude  from  his  household.  Hap- 
pily there  are  so  many  good  books  as  well  as  bad 
ones  in  the  market,  books  which  are  entertaining 
yet  instructive,  that  inculcate  good  principles  by 
apt  and  beautiful  illustrations,  which  tend  to  im- 
prove the  heart  whilst  they  interest  the  mind,  that 
the  parent  has  no  apology  for  allowing  his  child  to 
drink  at  the  turbid  and  even  poisonous  fountains 
of  the  popular  literature  of  the  day. 

THE    SABBATH. 

Another  practical  question  relates  to  the  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath.     How  shall  this  day  be  kept 


176  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

in  a  Christian  family,  so  that  the  example  shall  be 
good  upon  others,  and  the  effect  salutary  upon 
themselves  ?  "  Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep 
it  holy.^'  This,  as  a  part  of  the  decalogue,  is  of 
perpetual  obligation.  Every  Chiistian  parent  ad- 
mits this,  and  is  only  anxious  to  know  in  what  the 
sanctification  of  the  Sabbath  consists  ? 

Whilst  we  concede  that  the  Christian  Sabbath  is 
not  to  be  observed  in  the  same  manner  precisely  as 
the  Jewish  Sabbath  was,  yet  the  tendency  is  to  too 
great  laxity,  rather  than  to  an  unnecessary  and 
bui'densome  strictness.  Hence  we  should  be  the 
more  vigilant  in  guarding  the  day  from  desecration 
than  anxious  to  release  its  claims  or  to  loosen  its 
hold  upon  the  conscience.  The  world  is  edging 
on  more  and  more,  and  pushing  itself  into  posi- 
tions which  are  a  virtual  robbery  of  God  in  regard 
to  the  time  which  he  claims  to  his  service.  "  Will 
a  man  rob  God?  Bat  ye  have  robbed  me!" 
What  loose  examples  everywhere  are  seen,  in 
regard  to  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath.  Some 
spend  it  in  indolence,  in  eating  and  drinking,  in 
riding  and  recreating,  in  writing  letters  or  posting 
accounts,  in  visiting  or  in  receiving  visits,  in  trav- 
eling for  business  or  for  pleasure.  Such  are  the 
ways  in  which  the  day,  even  by  some  who  call 
themselves  respectable,  is  occasionally  or  habitually 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  177 

desecrated.  Throngs  of  people  will  post  off  to  a 
concert  on  Sabbath  evening,  where  any  good  im- 
pressions which  may  have  been  made  upon  their 
minds  by  the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  are  all 
obliterated  under  the  noisy  excitement.  What  a 
terrible  retribution  will  come  upon  us  if  things  go 
on  thus  ;  and  the  Sabbath  is  converted  more  and 
more  into  a  day  of  idleness  or  of  pleasui'e ! 

The  duty  of  all  Christians  is  to  stand  by  the 
Sabbath,  to  uphold  its  claims  ;  and  in  their  house- 
holds, to  insist  upon  its  entire  consecration.  All 
secular  business  must  cease.  The  least  preparation 
possible  must  be  made  for  the  provision  of  the 
flesh.  It  must  be  a  day  consecrated  to  the  good 
of  the  soul.  A  new  and  a  live  coal  must  be  laid 
on  the  family  altar.  It  must  be  a  day  not  of 
gloom,  but  of  holy  cheerfulness.  "  This  is  the 
day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,  we  will  rejoice 
and  be  glad  m  it." 


"  Oh  day  ;  most  calm,  most  bright : 

The  fruit  of  this-~t\ie  next  world's  bud  ; 
The  endorsement  of  supreme  delight ; 

"Writ  by  a  friend,  and  with  his  blood  ; 
The  couch  of  time — care's  balm  and  bay  ; 
The  week  were  dark,  but  for  thy  light, 
Thy  torch  doth  show  the  way." 


178  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

"  Thou  art  a  day  of  mirth  ; 

And  where  the  week  daj^s  trail  on  ground, 
Thy  flight  is  higher  as  thy  birth : 

Oh  let  me  take  thee,  at  a  bound  ! 
Leaping  with  thee  from  seven  to  seven  ; 
Till,  that  we  both,  being  tossed  from  earth 
Fly  hand  in  hand  to  heaven." 

Most  of  the  Sabbath  should  be  spent  in  acts  of 
devotion.  The  closet  should  be  regarded  as  hav- 
ing a  first  claim ;  and  the  parent  should  see  that 
his  child  neglects  not  this  duty,  but  occupies  a 
portion  of  the  Sabbath  morning  in  reading  the 
Scriptures  and  in  prayer.  All  should  be  punctual 
in  their  attendance  upon  the  family  worship  ;  and 
the  parent  should  aim  to  make  it  both  attractive 
and  edifying,  without  being  tedious. 

Then  comes  the  public  worship  of  the  sanctuary ; 
where  the  children  should  be  found,  seated  with 
their  parents,  and  listening  to  the  message  of  salva- 
tion. It  is  the  duty  of  Christian  parents  to  insist 
upon  a  uniform  and  serious  attendance  by  their 
children  upon  the  services  of  God's  house.  They 
should  w^orship  at  the  same  altar,  and  side  by  side 
with  their  parents.  A  prurient  curiosity  will  some- 
times lead  the  child  to  wish  to  go  elsewhere ;  and 
many  parents,  upon  such  a  wish  being  expressed, 
will  yield  to  it,  provided  the  pledge  is  given  that 
they  will  go  somewhere  to  church.    But  the  parent 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  179 

opens  a  fatal  crevasse  by  such  indulgence.  Ere 
long  the  child's  soul  is  in  peril.  He  has  wandered 
away  among  associations,  which  are  any  thmg  but 
friendly  to  his  spiritual  interests.  Having  gauied 
one  concession,  he  will  very  likely  ask  for  more  ; 
and  it  would  requhe  no  prophetic  skill  to  see  the 
fatal  and  downward  tendency  of  such  ill-judged 
indulgence.  We  would  not  be  harsh  nor  unneces- 
sarily stringent,  if  a  respectful  request  be  made 
occasionally  to  attend  some  other  place  of  worship 
than  our  own.  But  it  should  be  only  occasional, 
and  for  good  reasons  ;  for  reasons  which  the  parent 
deems  good  and  sufficient. 

How  beautiful  a  sight  to  see  a  parent,  surround- 
ed by  his  children,  going  up  every  Sabbath  to- 
gether to  the  house  of  God  ;  sitting  together  in 
these  heavenly  places  ;  fed  by  the  same  bread  of 
life,  and  hopefully  traming,  under  the  same  means 
of  grace,  for  the  same  holy  heaven ! 

Let  me  not  be  thought  bigoted  in  advising,  and 
even  msisting  that  Christian  parents  restrain  their 
children  from  wandering  to  this  and  that  place  of 
worship,  as  their  fancy  or  curiosity  may  lead.  This 
is  not  the  way  to  ^  train  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord.'  It  is  not  doing  their 
duty  toward  them.  It  is  a  violation  of  those  vows 
which,   by  the  baptismal  covenant,  bind  them   to 


180  PRACTICAL   DUTIES. 

seek  the  spiritual  good  and  ultimate  salvation  of 
their  children.  No  ;  Christian  parent,  take  your 
child  by  the  hand,  and  say,  ^  My  duty  to  attend 
upon  this  ministry  is  yours.  You  are,  whilst  a 
minor  and  under  my  authority,  to  worship  with 
me.  I  have  bound  myself  to  train  you  up  in 
God's  ways  ;  to  place  you  where  you  will  be  most 
likely  to  find  the  gate  of  heaven ;  and  as  I  judge 
in  regard  to  myself,  that  this  sanctuary  is  the  best 
place  for  me  to  learn  the  way  to  heaven,  so  I  must 
judge  it  is  the  best  place  for  you.  I  wish  to  re- 
tain you  near  my  side,  to  have  our  sympathies 
blended  in  this  great  matter.' 

Such  an  address  cannot  fail  to  affect  the  child  ; 
and  there  can  be  little  doubt,  where  the  parent  is 
firm  but  affectionate  in  his  refusal  to  set  the  child 
adrift  on  the  current  of  his  curiosity  or  caprice  ; 
but  holds  him  warmly  to  his  own  religious  associ- 
ations, that  the  child  will  acquiesce,  and  will  in 
truth  find,  that  his  own  sanctuary  is  to  him  *^  the 
gate  of  heaven." 

How  responsible  the  relation  of  parents  and 
children !  How  soon  will  both  be  called  to  give 
up  their  account  to  God  !  What  parent  can  con- 
template that  account  without  feeling  that,  para- 
mount to  all  the  claims  which  the  child  has  upon 
him,  for   temporal   support,  and  intellectual  train- 


PRACTICAL   DUTIES.  181 

ing,  and  social  advancement,  is  the  claim,  to  edu- 
cate his  soul  for  a  glorious  immortality  I  Lose 
sight  of  this,  and  no  matter  what  other  things  are 
clone  which  might  lift  him  into  some  conspicuous 
earthly  station,  or  endow  him  with  some  short- 
lived pleasures,  which  wealth  may  procure  ;  he 
will  still  lack  ^  the  one  thing  that  is  needful ' ; 
and  though  he  has  had  the  seal  of  the  covenant 
upon  his  infancy,  he  will  have  forfeited,  and  per- 
haps through  parental  neglect,  his  heavenly  birth- 
right ;  and,  hke  Esau,  ^  find  no  place  of  repentance 
though  he  seek  it  carefully  and  with  tears.' 


DATE  DUE 

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Pfinceton  Theological  Semmary-Spetr  Libr, 


1    1012  Q1029  9461 


